“Today is the day that I get to change a woman’s life and impact the community.” That’s the one thing that I tell myself every morning on my way to work.

Hello! My name is Arien Ragster, and I am the Executive Director of Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier, a non-profit that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women in the Shreveport-Bossier community. Just imagine, if a woman doesn’t have a job, she can’t afford career oriented attire but without the right attire, she can’t secure a job. That’s a hard pill to swallow for any woman who wants more for her family but does not have the resources to do so. That’s what I love about Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier. We do the heavy lifting for women who are wanting to enter or reenter the workforce. Each client that walks through the doors of Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier is greeted with a smile, treated with respect without judgement, and I make it a point to always say, “Congratulations in advance,” on their new career. Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier is governed by the Board of Directors, operated by Executive Director, Arien Ragster and Program Coordinator, Connie Rogers and supported by volunteers and donors in the community. We are so fortunate to also have the support of The Alta and John Franks Foundation, BancorpSouth, LSUS SHRM, The Ballengee Foundation, JP Morgan Chase Foundation, Virginia College, The Walmart Community Foundation, and Southern University at Shreveport.

Today is the day that I get to change a woman’s life and impact the communityArien Ragster

For 19 years, Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier was housed in St. Mark’s Cathedral and the basement of the Highland Center. With the move to 1520 N. Hearne Ave. Suite 108 in Shreveport into an over 2,900 sq. ft storefront, I believe that Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier will become more visible to better serve and impact the community. When our clients visit our new location, they always tell us how they feel like they are visiting a department store. We worked so hard to make the boutique look and feel just as attractive as a store in the mall. I remember one of the first clients that was suited in our new location. Her name was Amanda. Amanda walked into the boutique one afternoon in need of attire for her upcoming interview. She was so excited about the program and told Connie, “I never even heard of Dress for Success! Are you providing me with clothes? What is the process?”, Ms. Connie stated to her, “We don’t just give you an outfit; we dress you from head to toe! Purse, shoes, undergarments, jewelry, everything.” She was thrilled! She was so excited that we had multiple outfits in her size from which to choose. She was able to shop! At the end of her appointment, she selected two complete outfits that made her look like she was ready to go to work. Filled with emotion, Amanda began to cry. When asked why she crying, she said, “I’m just so thankful for everything! You guys are awesome!” Board members and staff gathered around her and gave her a big hug and prayed with her. A week later Amanda came back and informed us that she was accepted into a training session that will further her professional career. Not only did we change her life, we changed her situation which changes the life of her family and community.

So I know you may be wondering, “How can I help?” We are always in need of interview and business attire for our women and accept donations every Monday from 11 am – 4pm. We request that the items are gently used and on hangers, if possible. When items that are donated are not suitable for interview or work, we sell those items to the community in our annual clothing sale which will be held Friday, November 4th and Saturday, November 5th from 9 am-3 pm. All monies raised from the clothing sale are put back into the organization to support our four programs. Monetary donations for operational support is always needed and can be made by visiting our website at www.shreveport-bossier.dressforsuccess.org or via mail at 1520 N. Hearne Ave., Suite 108, Shreveport, La 71107.

Lastly, our largest fundraiser is the Red Hanger Style Show Luncheon hosted and produced by the LSUS Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management for the primary purpose of providing funding and raising public awareness for Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier. The 5th Annual Red Hanger Event will be held on Thursday, February 2, 2017, at 11:30 am at Margaritaville in Bossier City.

Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier
offers four programs…

The Confident Suiting Program provides interview and employment clothing. Clients receive a complimentary business makeover from head to toe for their job interview. Civic and social organizations volunteer as image consultants to assist clients in selecting their business attire.

The Women of the Workforce (W.O.W. Program) is a 12-week job readiness program designed to help unemployed and under-employed DFS clients gain confidence, job readiness skills, and accelerate their job search.

The Career Center provides training and job search assistance. Our Career Center is fully equipped with workstations for creating resumes, job searches, and training in Microsoft Office.

The Professional Women’s Group provides job retention skills and support. Our PWG Group is recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as an innovative solution to high employment rates. PWG meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month from 6 pm-8 pm. Our monthly meetings address topics of professional and personal development including but not limited to workplace etiquette, health, wealth, and nutrition.

Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier serves approximately 325 women a year and will continue to offer services as long as there are women in need of employment and job retention skills. Our goal is to help every woman succeed.