Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is The Women’s Alliance?
The Women’s Alliance is a national organization of independent community-based members who provide professional attire, career skills training and related services to low-income women seeking employment.

2. Who are its members?
The Women’s Alliance membership consists of independent community based groups that operate across North America providing support services to disadvantaged women entering the workforce. A common thread to membership is that each affiliate must be a nonprofit organization and must provide professional clothing to clients served free of charge.

3. When did we begin?
The first organization of its kind, Bottomless Closet, Chicago, incorporated in 1990 and was founded by Laurel Baer. In 1989 Laurel tuned into public radio and heard the story of a woman struggling to get off welfare, who, after feeding and clothing her children, couldn’t afford a suit for herself. The one simple thing that kept her from going to interviews. And at that moment, Baer thought, “I could go home right now and dress her out of my own closet.” She quickly recruited three friends and became the founder of Chicago’s Bottomless Closet.” Programs in San Jose, Washington., Philadelphia, and Miami soon followed suit.

The founding members of The Women’s Alliance began meeting annually in 1994 to share best practices. In early 1999, the network family formally incorporated WAGES International (now dba The Women’s Alliance), an alliance of organizations working together to empower women across the country.

The Women’s Alliance represents independent nonprofit organizations across North America that increase the employment potential of low-income women. The Women’s Alliance member groups operate with their own name and 501 (c) 3 status and provide a multi-tiered level of support services to women in their communities, from providing professional attire to career skills training, to dental care and health and wellness programs. The commonality is that all Women’s Alliance affiliates provide interview attire to their clients free of charge.

4. Why is the work of The Women’s Alliance so important? What purpose does it serve?
Due to changes in the welfare system, thousands of women are faced with the loss of their welfare benefits. Members of The Women’s Alliance provide an important service by motivating, educating and training women as well as providing professional attire to help women get and keep jobs.

The average percentage of women obtaining employment after receiving the services of a The Women's Alliance member organization is approximately 70%.

The Women’s Alliance member organizations help provide a bridge to opportunity and independence for women seeking to become gainfully employed.

"Our member programs, which help women referred by local government and non-profit agencies, do more than boost self-confidence and improve lifestyles--they also save tax dollars. In Illinois, for instance, each client who achieves economic self-sufficiency no longer receives an average of $9,000 in direct assistance, which in turn saves tax dollars."

Nicole Wild, Executive Director, The Women's Alliance

"Job training and support systems that move women from welfare to the paid workforce are helping to build a stronger economy and stronger families. With training to compete for well-paying jobs, the wages that women earn have a multiplier effect in their local communities--as tax-paying citizens they contribute to the local tax base, as consumers they contribute to the local economy, and as economically-independent heads of household they provide a positive role model for their children."

Jill Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, Women Work!

5. How many women has The Women’s Alliance helped nationally?
Members of The Women’s Alliance have assisted thousands of single mothers, current and former welfare recipients and low-income women since the early 1990's (now 50,000 annually).

6. How can I donate clothing?
Visit our membership directory and contact the nearest Women’s Alliance affiliate to your city. Each member organization has its own donation guidelines and would be delighted to have your support. If you are having trouble locating a sister organization in your city please call The Women’s Alliance at 305-762-6400.

7. Where does your funding come from?
National foundations, corporate sponsors, individual donors and membership dues fund The Women’s Alliance. See How To Help for further information.