Gardere Raises Record-Breaking $150,000 at "A Night Out" Benefiting Dress for Success Houston
Through support from Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, the tenth annual A Night Out, held Dec. 1 at The Westin Galleria, generated more than $150,000 to benefit Dress for Success® Houston. The record-breaking amount raised at this year's benefit will not only enable Dress for Success Houston to purchase 500 suits to help women in the greater Houston area look and feel confident throughout the interview process, but also provide program support and scholarships to more than 4,000 women in 2011.
Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP served as A Night Out's presenting platinum sponsor for the sixth consecutive year. Chaired by Liz Crowell, a banking partner in Gardere's Houston office, the charitable event showcased local image consultant Cathy Fitzpatrick Cleary, who shared timeless fashion tips and wardrobe trends to a crowd of more than 500 attendees, including local community leaders and top-level female executives from Houston-area companies. The stylish evening also included dinner, a fashion show and boutique shopping.
A Night Out is an essential fundraiser for Dress for Success Houston and is accomplished through the efforts of the Gardere Women's Council, a business networking and professional development organization established by the firm to support its female attorneys and clients. Members of the Gardere Women's Council are leaders within the firm and legal community and are also actively involved as civic and community leaders.
"A Night Out is a key initiative that helps drive home the shared goals of the Gardere Women's Council and Dress for Success Houston to advance the development of females in the professional setting who may be facing challenging financial times," said Crowell. "Dress for Success Houston has seen an increased need for services and programs due to the economy, and we are proud to lend support once again for an event that proves instrumental for women making strides toward independence. The event is a unique opportunity for our Women's Council to parlay their professional talents into enrichment opportunities for other up-and-coming business women in the community."
Nancy Levicki, Dress for Success Houston president and co-founder, said, "We are thrilled to have the commitment of professional women in the community like Liz Crowell and companies like Gardere to help us provide professional attire for thousands of women each year. A suit can outfit a woman with so much more than aesthetics for the job searching process-it builds her confidence and enables her to take that next step toward self-sufficiency. We truly appreciate Gardere's understanding of the impact a suit can bring to each of our clients." In addition to its support of A Night Out, Gardere assists Dress for Success Houston with mentoring programs through its Corporate Guild as well as other networking and special events. Visit Gardere.com for more information about Gardere's philanthropic initiatives.
ABOUT DRESS FOR SUCCESS
Dress for Success® Houston, part of an international network, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and life.