America’s Best Cleaners’ (ABC) affiliate Fox Cleaners partnered with Dress for Success Tulsa for a successful EmpowerWear program to collect gently worn professional and business casual attire for women from Oct. 1-31, 2024.
The collection program gathered approximately 1,500 clothing items, which are now securely stored at Dress for Success Tulsa. Through the EmpowerWear program, women in need are provided with suitable attire for job interviews, professional events, and work-related activities. This initiative aims to empower women, helping them achieve economic independence and access employment opportunities.
To participate in the program, customers could text the day before their regularly scheduled delivery to receive an EmpowerWear donation garment bag with detailed instructions and charitable donation receipts for their taxes. Fox Cleaners then collected the donations on the following pick-up day. They also accepted donations during their regular business hours and via their 24/7 kiosk.
Maggie Fox, president and CEO of Fox Cleaners, shared “The inaugural EmpowerWear campaign has exceeded our expectations, thanks to the enthusiastic engagement of our employees and the generous response from our community. Our team embraced this initiative wholeheartedly, not just collecting and processing donations, but actively educating customers about the impact of their contributions. One of our most valuable insights has been identifying the pressing need for professional plus-size attire in our community. This knowledge will shape our future collection efforts, ensuring we better serve all women seeking economic independence.”
Although the EmpowerWear program is complete, Fox Cleaners will continue to support Dress for Success. “We're proud to announce that Fox Cleaners will continue serving as a year-round collection site for Dress for Success, making it even easier for our community to support this vital cause," shared Fox.
ABC launched its first EmpowerWear program in August 2023 via a pilot partnership with affiliate Owl Cleaners and Dress for Success Pittsburgh. The goal is to have all ABC national affiliates on board by the end of 2025 to maximize the program’s impact.
Chris White, ABC Executive Director, shared, “This program continues to show how critical independent small businesses are to each community they serve and how we leverage our assets to not only empower people in need but start to make a dent in the removal of textile waste from our landfills and into more responsible and meaningful ways. We hope that the people of Tulsa and the rest of our nation follow the lead set by Fox Cleaners and America’s Best Cleaners by promoting less consumption of low-priced garments and buying better apparel that can find several lives after the initial purchase like the EmpowerWear program provides.”