Newspaper Page Text
4A
JULY 15, 1999
T;O SUCCEED IN BUSINESS, YOU HAVE TO LOOK THE PART Y
Augusta Suits You dresses for success
I'LAMQHQ Turner
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
B emtscsisioda
g ‘
tThe way one looks when they
arrive at a job interview plays a
major part in the determina
tion of whether or not they will
behired. Unfortunately, we only
gét one chance to make a first
ixtpression. Make no mistake
about it, first impressions still
count in the ever changing world
i} which we live. That would
explain why tears of joy, hugs of
tzanks and verbal expressions
o{ appreciation filled the room
at the project kick-off of Au
gusta Suits You, Monday, at the
Department of Family And Chil
dren Services. Thanks to the
vision of Sandra Johnson, direc
tor of professional recruitment
for Sizemore Personnel, local
businesses and other members
of the community, DFACS cus
tomers now have a chance to
make an even better first im
pression.
“We are all diamonds in the
rough,” said Deborah Moody,
one of the projects first recipi
ents. “We just need someone to
help polish us.”
Ms. Moody, a recent graduate
of Paine College and former
TANF (Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families) recipient,
was presented with business at
tire by Lane Bryant and Tina’s
Shoe Gallery. Attire that she
can wear to her new job at
DFACS.
Augusta Suits You is a new,
non-profit organization formed
as a result of Sandra Johnson
Find us on the internet at www.augustafocus.com
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Left to right: Caroline Powell, Ginny Luke, Ernestine Howard,
Deborah Moody, and Karen Brown.
being inspired by a 60 Minutes
television broadcast featuring a
similar program called Dress for
Success. It brings together local
businesses and TANF recipients
to help get recipients off the
rolls and in to work. The organi
zation provides business suits to
DFACS customers who are
scheduled for a qualifyinginter
view. Another suitis given upon
receipt of a job.
Ginny Luke feels confident
about her upcoming interview
with Sears thanks to Augusta
Suits You. Having received a
very stylish black and gold suit
from Dillard’s and matching
shoes from Tina’s Shoe Gallery
she hasthe winning attitude that
she needs to get the job.
During the four months since
she absconded from a bad mar
riage, Ms. Luke, has notf only
People
received TANF but enhanced her
work experience by participat
ingin a Goodwill Industries pro
gram. She stated that she is
looking forward to becoming self
supporting and taking care of
her three children.
“People often equate intellect
with income,” said Ms. Moody,
“but when people hire someone
that has been on public assis
tance, they may be hiring some
one who just may not have had
the opportunity to live up to
their full potential.” Ms. Moody
added that people may expect
more out of TANF customers
than they are capable of, such as
their appearance. That is why
organizations such as Augusta
Suits You are soimportant. They
provide people with the basic
necessities that they need to
make anew start.., & ¢ ..
In addition to receiving new
clothes from stores such as
Dillard’s, Lane Bryant, Stein
Mart and Tina’s Shoe Gallery,
the ladies also receive a make
over from Mary Kay as well as
hair and nails services by Salon
2000.
Due to new policies invoked
under the new welfare reform,
over 2,500 TANF recipients in
Richmond County are required
to participate in a work related
activity, 98% of which are
women.
Linda Johnson, director of
Richmond County DFACS, views
the new organization as a bless
ing and stated the DFACS is
always looking for ways to help
their customers transition from
welfare to work.
“It’s a win-win situation for
the community and the recipi
ents,” Sandra Johnson said.
Representatives of Georgia
Personnel Services, Inc. present
at Monday’s event said that they
commend Sizemore Personnel
for helping to provide such a
service.
Advisoryboard members of Au
gusta Suits You represent vari
ous businesses in the commu
nity, such as Robinson-
Humphrey, Augusta Focus, Sa
cred Heart Cultural Center,
Channel 12, Assisted Living In
dustry, Job Training Partner
ship Act, Sizemore Personnel,
First Union Direct, N.A, DFACS
and Hull, Towill, Norman,
Barrett & Salley.
For more information about
Augusta Suits You, call Linda
Jghnsogap(?OG),f’]2}-2536. _
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Nelson dispels notion
about contributions
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
Mattie Nelson has gotten quite
used to answering the No. 1 ques
tion: Why is there a need for a
‘Black’ United Fund?
As executive director of the
Georgia Black United Fund
(GBUF), Nelson responds to the
familiar query by emphasizingthat
while United Way agencies finan
cially support a variety of organi
zations, her group is effective as
sisting grass root agencies who
typically get overlooked by the
United Way, she said. Nelson also
emphasizes that while many who
benefit with funds raised by her
group are African American,inno
way is ethnicity a factor when it
comes to their mission to assist.
“Our organization is here for ev
eryone and this also dispels the
myth that blacks are not philan
thropists,” she added.
Basedin Atlanta, GBUF is part
of a national group consisting of
22 organizations. “Our mission is
to offer financial assistancetonon
profit groups and toenhance qual
ity of life for everyone,” said
Nelson. In Georgia, their meth
odsinclude combininghuman and
financial resources throughout the
state, including Augusta, Macon,
Albany and other cities outside of
Atlanta. Nelson says employees
of various companies from public
to private sectors, are offered
choiceswhere theirdonations may
be earmarked —thanks to payroll
deduction.
The charter Black United Fund
group was formed in Los Angeles
in 1968 and wasinitially called the
Brotherhood Crusade, Their role
was toaddress apoeverty-stricken,
south centralL;A. communityrav
ished bytheinfamous Watts Riots
of 1967. When asked why one
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Mattie Nelson, executive
director, Georgia Black :
United Fund. Photo by Timothy Cox |,
should contribute to GBUF,.
Nelson explains that contributions.
are “an investment in low-income,
communities. It’s a self-help phi-,
losophy and we support programs,
that help people become self-suffi-,
cient,” she said.
Nelson, who opted for early re-:
tirement from her careerat AT&T,
credits her former employer for:
financially stabilizingthe Georgia
faction. While Nelson’s group ad
ministers and distributes collected.
funds to member organizations —
much like the United Way — she.
also credits companies like Lu-,
cent Technologies, Nike, MARTA,
the City of Atlanta, Fulton County
and State of Georgia for their sup
port. GBUF’s current budget is
$350,000. A year ago, it was listed
at $277,000, said Nelson. ;
On Saturday, July 24, GBUF
celebratesits fourth annual awards
banquet at the Hyatt Regency, 6
p.m.,downtown Atlanta. BET per
sonality Tavis Smiley is keynote
speaker. Tickets are $75 and are
tax deductible. For information,
ca 11404.524.4003.
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