The spotlight certainly shone on the Classic Cleaners table at the September 22 Stepping Out in Style gala, the annual fundraiser for Dress For Success Indianapolis.  This year’s function boasted one of the largest groups of supporters ever, with close to 900 attendees stepping out in “dressed for success” style.

At the gala, Classic Cleaners honored Dress For Success Indianapolis with a generous check.  In August of each year, Classic Cleaners runs a special promotion.  For every dry cleaning order of $20, the company donates $2 to DFSI.  This year’s check of $13,780 represented the sum of those $2 donations!

Dress For Success Indianapolis, in turn, honored Classic Cleaners as its longest business supporter in Indianapolis.  “Your support does not go unnoticed,” commented one of the guests to Classic Cleaners partner Steve Arnold.

While Stepping Out in Style is a very special occasion, the partnership between Dress For Success Indianapolis and

Dress For Success Indianapolis boutique

Classic Cleaners is year-round. Classic Cleaners acts as a collection site, accepting interview-appropriate suits and blouses on hangers. As needed, garments are dry cleaned, then delivered to DFS Indianapolis Boutique at 820 North Meridian.

Classic Cleaners also sponsors Super Sort, the culmination of Send One Suit Week (a clothing collection drive by local businesses, places of worship, and organizations), by providing donors with a coupon for $10 or $20 off a dry cleaning order.

Dress For Success Indianapolis’ Executive Director Barb Ellsworth expressed her gratitude with enthusiasm: “I don’t know what we’d do without Classic Cleaners! Funny, that’s exactly what so many of our indianapolis dry cleaning customers say!

by Reb of the Classic Cleaners blog team

Dress For Success Indianapolis Clothing donations

More than seven years and 100,000 suits and blouses later, we’re proud to say Classic Cleaners’ partnership with Dress for Success Indianapolis has been nothing but successful .

The April 17th “Super Sort” at the Classic Cleaners Bash Street plant is just one aspect of the ongoing partnership between Classic Cleaners and Dress For Success Indianapolis. DFS Indianapolis staff members, volunteers, and interns gathered Saturday morning to help sort the donated clothing and prepare it for delivery to the Dress For Success boutique at 820 North Meridian.

Susie Fucik, Professional Women's Group Program Manager, Juanita Galvis, first time volunteer, Mehida Perez, volunteer

The mission of Dress For Success is “to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.”

Classic Cleaners contributes to DFS Indianapolis in several other ways as well :

• Super Sort is the culmination of Send One Suit Week, during which individuals at a local business, place of worship, or organization host a private drive.  These individuals lead an on-site collection with their co-workers, associates, family or friends to collect 1 suit, 1 blouse, and monetary donations from each person to benefit DFS Indianapolis.  For the fourth year, Classic Cleaners was a sponsor for the private drives by giving each donor a coupon for $10 off a $20 or more order of dry cleaning.
• Throughout the year, Classic Cleaners acts as a collection site, accepting interview-appropriate suits and blouses on hangers, cleaning donated garments as needed, then delivering them to the DFS Indianapolis Boutique at 820 N, Meridian. (Other items such as shoes, jewelry, purses, and accessories may be dropped off at  DFS Indianapolis during open clothing donation days.)  
       
• In August of each year, Classic Cleaners runs a special DFS Indianapolis promotion. For every dry cleaning order of $20 or more, $2 is donated to Dress For Success.  A check is presented to the organization at the DFS Indianapolis’ annual September fundraiser, “Stepping Out in Style”. In each of the the past two years, Classic Cleaners September donation was more than $13,000.

Why does Classic Cleaners contribute to worthy organizations like Dress For Success Indianapolis? Simple!  It’s our way of showing our appreciation to society and to being good citizens of the human family.

By Reb of the Classic Cleaners blog team

Striving always to be a good corporate citizen, Classic Cleaners supports Dress for Success on an ongoing basis. According to the Dress for Success What We Do page,

The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

Classic Cleaners helps Dress for Success in numerous ways. We accept suits and blouses at any of our 17 Classic Cleaners locations. Also, you can donate via your Classic Cleaners free home pick-up and delivery service. Disadvantaged women will use the suits and blouses you donate when they go on job interviews and start their new jobs. This program has helped thousands of women get the professional look and self-esteem they need to start fresh and improve their lives.

Classic Cleaners also engaged in two major initiatives in 2009 to help Dress for Success.

August Fundraising Drive
As we do every year, in August 2009, Classic Cleaners donated $2.00 for every dry cleaning order of $20.00 or more. This year, Classic Cleaners donated over $13,000.00.

Stepping Out in Style
Stepping Out in Style is a dinner and fashion show fundraiser for Dress for Success held every September at the Marriott in Downtown Indianapolis. The evening’s festivities begin with a cocktail hour, a diamond dig, and a raffle. During dinner, attendees enjoy a fashion show with clothing provided by local boutiques and modeled by prominent women in the community. This year’s models included Winnie Ballard (wife of the mayor), local businesswomen, and TV personalities. Attendees also listen to the stories of Dress for Success clients. The contributions of Classic Cleaners and other partners are acknowledged during the show.

If you contributed to Dress for Success this year, we’d like to offer our sincere thanks! If you have not yet contributed to this good cause, please consider what suits and blouses you can spare. We accept Dress for Success donations throughout the year!

–Matt
The Classic Cleaners Blog Team