Dressed for Success: Mary Kay Accepts Clothing for Abuse Survivors

Mary Kay Inc. has partnered with The Mary Kay Foundation(SM) to provide a resource not commonly associated with domestic violence survivors—professional dress attire. The program, Suits for Shelters, seeks to enable women coming out of abusive relationships to acquire means of supporting themselves by providing them with proper work attire.

Individuals interested in donating to this cause can drop off their gently used items in Dallas at Tootsies, located at the Preston Center in the Plaza, until Aug. 4. For their kindness, donors will receive a $25 gift card to Tootsies.

The Texas Council on Family Violence estimates 1 in 3 Texans will experience domestic violence at some point in their life. Additionally, the council found more than 100 women per year were murdered by their domestic partner. However, resources for individuals hoping to leave abusive situations behind are sorely lacking. In 2015, over 15,000 requests for shelter by survivors went unmet.

That is where Mary Kay comes in.

Photo: Facebook/Mary Kay News

Since its creation in 2009, Suits for Shelters has been instrumental in supplying women impacted by domestic violence with over 17,000 pieces of clothing. This comes as no surprise considering the makeup tycoon has been a promoter of the prevention and awareness of abusive relationships for 15 years. Altogether, Mary Kay Inc. and The Mary Kay Foundation(SM) have donated upwards of $53 million toward this cause.

“Although it may seem simple, receiving a skirt or blouse truly does have the potential to change a domestic abuse survivor’s life and provide professional opportunities some women may never have thought possible,” said Jan Langbein, Chief Executive Officer for Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support.

For more information about this cause or learn more about domestic violence in Texas, please visit newsroom.marykay.com and the Texas Council on Family Violence website.