Clothing Drive Benefits Dress for Success Black Hills

Drive was organized, run by Rapid City firefighter

Rapid City, S.D. - From an outsiders perspective, it must have been an odd sight to see. Rapid City Firefighters and local business women unloading a trailer that was packed to the gills with a variety of women's business attire and accessories. It's not something most would expect to see. On Tuesday evening, however, it's exactly what was taking place on the campus of Western Dakota Tech in Rapid City.

About three months ago, Rapid City Firefighter/Medic Jamil Abourezk set out to begin a clothing drive to benefit a local organization. After some homework and research- which included a call to the 211 Helpline Center- Jamil initiated a clothing drive to collect donations to help the program known as Dress for Success Black Hills.

Dress for Success Black Hills was founded in October of 2017. According to their Facebook page, the program "helps to empower the women in our community find a better world of work" by providing clients with professional work attire, interview and resume guidance, and strategies for success. The non-profit organization Dress for Success Worldwide started operations in 1997 and, since that time, has expanded to more than 150 cities and 28 countries across the globe. According to the Dress for Success website, South Dakota has two affiliates; one in Rapid City and one in Sioux Falls. 

Firefighter Abourezk began accepting donations of new or gently used professional attire from friends, family members, and spouses and significant others of colleagues. Over a period of several weeks, the collection of donations grew. On Thursday, Firefighter Abourezk and members of the Rapid City Fire Department gathered up the items and loaded them into a 5-foot by 8-foot cargo trailer for delivery. "I got a lot of help from some really cool friends", Abourezk said. "It got kind of big. It started to take over my house", he said. 

Firefighter Abourezk said that one of the main reasons he chose to help Dress for Success Black Hills is that none of the items he donated will be re-sold. Program participants will have the opportunity to shop with a staff member to outfit them with attire best suited for their interview in addition to a weeks worth of separates once the individual secures employment. He noted that the program participants will not only receive clothing items, but will also become part of a network to help them develop skills in order to pursue gainful employment. "It's one thing to give them clothes but it's another thing to give them skills to hopefully break the cycle of poverty", he said.
To learn more about Dress for Success Black Hills, find them on Facebook by clicking here. For questions or comment related to this release, please contact Lt. Jim Bussell, Public Information Officer for the Rapid City Fire Department, at (605)-394-4180.

Above: Racks and boxes of clothing fill a room in Jamil Abourezk's home. the clothing items were collected to help Dress for Success- Black Hills. 

Above: Racks and boxes of clothing fill a room in Jamil Abourezk's home. the clothing items were collected to help Dress for Success- Black Hills. 

Above: Meticulously sorted clothing items filled an entire room in Jamil Abourezk's home. Pictured, Abourezk loads the clothing items into a trailer for delivery to Dress for Success- Black Hills.

Above: Meticulously sorted clothing items filled an entire room in Jamil Abourezk's home.

Above: This 5-foot by 8-foot enclosed utility trailer was packed from front to back and top to bottom with clothing donations for the Dress for Success program.

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