Volunteer Appreciation Spotlight

Janelle did not come to Dress for Success Twin Cities looking for a way to fill her time. She came because she already knew what this organization could do for a woman's life.

Years before she retired, Janelle attended a DFSTC fundraiser through her work at Thomson Reuters. That night, she heard a client share her story — a woman who had navigated homelessness, grief, and loss, and come through the other side transformed. It stayed with her.

"I just always liked the organization," Janelle says. "So when I retired and was looking for ways to give back, I started volunteering with Dress for Success and just fell in love with it."

"I like to walk with them in their transformations and be a source of good during times in their lives that are very turbulent."

— Janelle, DFSTC Volunteer

Today Janelle coaches three or four clients at a time, walking alongside women as they build confidence, navigate job searches, and work toward stability. She is also a regular at DFSTC's CIP events — a collaboration with the Shakopee Women's Prison through the Challenge Incarceration Program, where women preparing for release get the chance to try on a Confidence Kit, practice interviews, and connect with supporters like Janelle before they step back into the world.

What she loves most is the variety. Whether DFSTC is set up at Cornerstone Advocacy, Jeremiah House, or out in the community on the Success Express, Janelle shows up ready to meet women exactly where they are. "I like that we meet women where they're at," she says. "And I like to learn about how they're living and their transformation."

She also makes it her mission to get others involved. When corporate volunteers come to events, Janelle is the one pulling them aside and getting them excited about coming back. "I like to tell other volunteers — what can you do to help? I like being in the background, making things happen."

Janelle's story is a reminder that volunteering with DFSTC is not just about giving time. It is about being part of something that genuinely changes lives — including your own.

Want to volunteer with us?

Confidence Coach

Share your HR or career experience to support clients through one-on-one virtual coaching. Coaches are matched with clients based on background and professional network.

Success Express

Join us on-site at our mobile career center to deliver Confidence Kits and programming support to women across the Twin Cities and beyond. Open to women volunteers.

Shakopee Women's Prison (CIP)

Support women in the Challenge Incarceration Program as they prepare for release with practice interviews, resume reviews, and encouragement. HR or hiring experience is a plus.

Donation Day and Wearhouse

Help receive and process professional clothing donations at our Wearhouse in St. Louis Park. Hands-on, energizing, and always appreciated.

Apply to volunteer