LynnMall Shopping Centre and Botany Town Centre’s Bag and Shoe Drive, which ran from 13 to 26 October, has been a sensation, with the local community donating mountains of good-quality bags and shoes – even handbags by sought-after designers such as Louis Vuitton.

Singer and Dancing with the Stars contestant Tina Cross and former TV presenter Kay Gregory (who’s a National Ambassador for Dress for Success) were just two of the women doing their part for the cause, donating their own bags and shoes in support of the drive.

Dress for Success Auckland Executive Manager Sue Lewis-O’Halloran says, “The success of the Bag and Shoe Drive is incredible and really shows the level of community support for our cause. The bags and shoes we’ve received so far have been flying out the door! We are dressing up to 12 women a day at the moment – it makes a huge difference to all of them and they are tremendously appreciative.”

Jennifer Manning, Senior Centre Manager said both centres are very proud of their community’s backing of this campaign. “The bags and shoes collected provide much-needed help for this important organization.”

Bags and shoes are a necessary part of any wardrobe, but these are harder to come by for Dress for Success. The mountain of bags and shoes collected through the Bag and Shoe Drive have given a valuable boost to the outfits Dress for Success offers its clients, with half the supply already redistributed to new wardrobes.

Each year, thousands of New Zealand women attempt to enter or return to the workforce after time spent raising their children, or being unemployed. Launching into the job market requires confidence, and Dress for Success helps build this in women by giving them work-appropriate clothes and advice on job interviews.

To provide its services, Dress for Success relies on donations of clothing, shoes, accessories and jewellery from Auckland women. Nearly new and gently used clothing can be donated to Dress for Success at drop-off points located at LynnMall Shopping Centre’s Information Kiosk and Botany Town Centre’s Visitors Centre.