• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Saturday, September 23, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

New program readies men for job-seeking success

by James L. Stroud Jr
August 3, 2011
44
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn
(l-r) Ready for Success Program Director Gary Veazie, Terry Robinson, Paul Benson, Walter Walls, Greg Skinner, Mohammed Farah and Melvin Timms -Photos by James L. Stroud, Jr.

Are you an adult male living in the Twin Cities metro area? Are you looking for work, but unable to afford clothing for your next job interview? Do you need to get work-ready? Are you ready to be successful?

If you said yes to any or all of these questions, then you might be interested in the Ready for Success Men’s Program created by the Episcopal Community Services (ECS) of Minnesota.

The Episcopal Community Services’ (ECS) Ready for Success Men’s Program provides low-income men with barely used and new business and business casual clothing, accessories and personal care items to help prepare them for job interviews and the workplace. All items given to the clients are free of charge.
In 2008, ECS created the Ready for Success Men’s Program as a pilot program with two locations — Minneapolis (425 Oak Grove Street, 55403) and St. Paul (Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota, 553 Fairview Avenue North, 55104).

The original Ready for Success Program for women has been serving low-income women since 1997 and has been a program of ECS since 2001. In January 2010, the men’s program became a permanent part of ECS. The Ready for Success Men’s Program provides individual appointments and personal shoppers for each client.
Clients of the program are men completing job skills training and re-entry programs. Referred by case managers, these men are ready for employment.

MSR made two visits to the Minneapolis location. The first time was to observe clients scheduled for their personalized sessions, in what the volunteers referred to as the “Man Cave.” Experienced personal shoppers/volunteers give clients orientation about the process.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Clients get to choose from hundreds of sport coats, slacks, dress shirts, ties and shoes. The room is set up just like a retail clothing store, with dressing rooms and mirrors. All of the five to seven volunteers wear suits and carry measuring tape. These items have been inspected, cleaned and are then specially fit to clients.

According to Gary Veazie, program manager, “In one hour after the clients shop, I can see a positive transformation and witness them change their self-esteem.”
Veazie also states that clients are allowed to chose one suit, two sports coats, two pairs of slacks, three dress shirts, one coat, three neckties, one pair of dress shoes, one pair of casual shoes, unlimited casual clothing, one of everything in the personal care section, two brand new pairs of underwear, two new pairs of dress socks and two new pairs of sweat socks.

After choosing items that best suit their own style, clients are then able to choose items from the “bonus rack.” These items include khakis, denim pants and collared shirts. Additionally, clients also receive new personal care items like shampoo, deodorant, shaving kits, socks and underwear.

Volunteers and donations are vital to serving the clients of the Ready for Success Men’s Program. Volunteer opportunities include being a personal shopper, doing clothing intake and care, and fundraising. Benson went to the St. Paul location a while ago and was so impressed, he asked Veazie if he could become a volunteer.

Benson has been helping clients and the program. He has retail experience as an employee of the Men’s Warehouse clothing store. Employing his skills as a closer, Benson was able to negotiate a few key donations. According to both Veazie and Benson, the Men’s Warehouse donated a large amount of clothing estimated at around $250,000. Benson also made contact with the Minnesota Vikings and was able to get several leather jackets with the team logos on them.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

May 26, 2011 was MSR’s second visit for the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event highlighted the new improvements to the boutique, a.k.a. the “Man Cave,” which was renamed again that morning to the “Mantique.” The Wells Fargo Foundation gave the Ready for Success Program $15,000 for cosmetic touch-ups like fixing the ceiling and a few decorative art pieces.

The Ready for Success Men’s Program will accept clean, gently used and new professional and business casual clothing, shoes, belts, khakis, socks, seasonal outerwear and undergarments. Sizes extra-large and larger are especially helpful.

For more information about the Ready for Success Men’s Program, volunteering or scheduling your donation, contact Gary Veazi at 952-836-6722 or gveazie4247@msn.com.

James L Stroud, Jr. welcomes reader responses to jlstroud@spokesman-recorder.com.

 

- ADVERTISEMENT -

To comment on this story, see comment box below.

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Dr. Julianne Malveaux will talk Black economic history at women’s summit—By Vickie Evans-Nash, Contributing Writer

Next Post

U of M, where’s our broadband Internet access? —By Al Flowers Guest Commentator

James L. Stroud Jr

James L. Stroud, Jr. is a contributing writer and photographer at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

You Might Also Like

60th anniversary of Birmingham church bombing unites families of victims and perpetrators
Opinion

Four Little Girls

Blue Line extension planning moves forward after two key votes
Local

Blue Line extension planning moves forward after two key votes

Compton's Finest
Arts & Culture

Fall into new jazz releases

Black Business Spotlight: Thoroughbred Moving and Installation
Black Business Spotlight

Black Business Spotlight: Thoroughbred Moving and Installation

Comcast donates free WiFi access to four Twin Cities nonprofits to increase digital opportunities in the region
Local

Comcast donates free WiFi access to four Twin Cities nonprofits to increase digital opportunities in the region

Two new early vote centers open in Minneapolis
Local

Early voting begins Sept. 22 for local elections

Next Post

U of M, where’s our broadband Internet access? —By Al Flowers Guest Commentator

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Sep 12
September 12 @ 6:30 pm-December 18 @ 9:30 pm Recurring

Vic Volare Presents MUSIC FOR MARTINIS ft: Vic’s Fabulous Nightclub Academy

Sep 22
September 22 @ 5:00 pm-September 23 @ 8:30 pm

9th Annual Lantern Lighting Celebration at Lakewood Cemetery

Sep 23
7:30 pm-9:00 pm Recurring

Michhil Amra | We Are The Procession

Sep 25
6:30 pm-8:30 pm

Community Roundtable with Ayodele Casel and Torya Beard

View Calendar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: