Women that arrive at the facilities of Dress for Success might not understand what they are about to walk into. Dozens of pants, skirts and jackets welcome them, a series of mix and match items that can create the ideal suit to help them land their next job.

For most people, a job interview is stressful. Stakes are high in these situations, particularly if you really need the job. “It is not an easy place to be if you are unemployed and you have children,” said Barbara Silzle, Executive Director of Dress for Success Philadelphia. “The majority of our clients are in that situation. Some people can come in and feel either completely happy or completely stressed out.”

The local chapter is part of a global organization that has expanded to more than 140 cities in 19 countries, and is dedicated to promoting economic independence for disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and career development tools.

“Our clients usually either have a job interview, a job training program or are starting a job, and the services provided are modified depending on what they are coming for. Everything we do here is to say, ‘You are safe, we are going to actually take care of you right now.’  If they meet us halfway on their professional journey, and we can add to that, then great things can happen,”  Silzle said.

The organization recently switched locations — to 2000 Hamilton Street in Center City — which provides expanded office space, a workshop and training room, a career counseling office and new career center sponsored by QVC.

According to Silzle, the new space will allow her team to have a greater impact on the lives of women by providing more comprehensive career development services. “We weren’t able to create what we wanted in our former location. Career development is a crucial aspect of what we do,” she said.

In order for residents to gain access to these free services, they must be referred by a government agency or a non-profit affiliated with the organization (You can find a list of referral partners here).

“For instance if they are going for a job interview they get an interview suit, a pair of shoes and a couple of pieces of jewelry, so they can present themselves at the interview,” Silzle said. “Once they get the job, they can come back for a week's wardrobe, around five pieces of mix and match to get them through that first week.”

After two and half years at the helm of the organization, Silzle said the main necessities for unemployed women in the region are equality in jobs and parity of pay. “Women so often are the single caretaker of families, so when you employ a woman you impact a family and you change a community. That ripple effect is real and you see it here all the time,” she said.

The mission is to get women on the road to sustainability. “Our ultimate goal is to have women thrive. By them thriving the people under their wings thrive too,” Silzle said.

So far the demographic of the organization’s clientele is 66 percent African American, 23 percent Latino, 6 percent Caucasian and about 5 percent identified as other. Last year 52 percent of participating women had a job at the end of the program.

An enormous amount of the organization’s work relies on the efforts of volunteers throughout the year, usually around 40 active volunteers and 150 intermittent ones who fulfill multiple tasks.

“When it comes to our volunteers, age is not an issue. But we are very selective in making sure they are well trained and ready. They have to have an accepting personality who really wants to move women forward,” Silzle said. “They certainly help them with the clothes but they help them with the confidence too —  they are boosters.”

Looking into the future, Silzle would like to focus much more in women veterans. “Part of my challenge is finding where the veterans go, and providing them with services. To really make sure that we are fulfilling the role in the Philadelphia area of serving veterans. We know they are here, I feel they need us more than they know. That is my number one goal.”

Ways you can support Dress for Success:

-Donate nearly new women’s apparel, shoes or accessories (handbags and jewelry).

-Volunteer your time as a personal shopper, career coach, speaker or inventory assistant.

-Donate money to support the programs and services.

-Stay connected by joining their mailing list to learn about volunteer opportunities, fundraising events and success stories.

You can connect to the organization through Facebook, Twitter and Linkedln.