Photographs by Veronnica Kimm

Debra Steward Debra Steward exclaims, “I love Bottomless Closet!” Three years ago, Debra was a single mother with three children and a student at Boricua College in Brooklyn studying human services. She was on public assistance, but had landed an interview for a coveted internship with Salomon Smith Barney in the Human Resources Department. That’s where Bottomless Closet stepped in. At the time she was interviewing for her internship, Debra had no proper business attire. One of Bottomless Closet’s referral agencies sent Debra to the organization to find clothes for her interview. “I remember my first suit,” she recalls. At Bottomless Closet, she found a cream-colored camisole, stockings, and a blue and white-stripped suit, which she paired with black flats. After getting herself outfitted, Debra worked with a Bottomless Closet volunteer on her resume and interviewing skills. Debra got the internship at Salomon Smith Barney and stayed there for over five months. Immediately following her internship, she was hired as an administrative assistant in Asset Management, where she continues to work today. She is still active in the seminars organized by Bottomless Closet. So far, she has attended workshops to help her maintain a positive attitude at work, initiate advancements in her career, and learn a form of meditation that she can use when she feels overwhelmed at work or at home. “The women at Bottomless Closet make me feel good about myself,” says Debra. “Many women who have traveled a road like mine put themselves down. All the women at Bottomless Closet boost me up. They are always positive and are truly excited about my accomplishments. My confidence is continually growing.”

Tina Cooper When Tina Cooper finished an advanced legal office assistant program at FEGS in Manhattan and then lined up interviews, she came to Bottomless Closet. “I had no income at all when I went to Bottomless Closet,” says Tina. “I had three children, bills, rent. It was my family who kept me going through this time.” After working with Bottomless Closet volunteers to find an outfit and prepare for her interview, Tina secured a job with the legal firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore, where she continues to work today. Tina is a self-proclaimed Bottomless Closet regular. She says she has missed only two of the seminars Bottomless Closet has ever given, because, she says, she finds the seminars informative and helpful. “Everyone at Bottomless Closet is doing her best to bring together professionals who help women advance their careers. I have been in the workforce some thirty years, and I am thoroughly impressed with the quality of Bottomless Closet’s seminars,” says Tina. Lately Tina has become even more involved at Bottomless Closet. She now does volunteer computer work at Bottomless Closet and chairs a new client committee that she hopes will get Bottomless Closet clients even more involved with the organization and will rally support for future Bottomless Closet activities.

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Anna Acevedo Anna Acevedo has been working – or trying to work – since she was fifteen. In the early 1990s, after a series of short-term, low-paid jobs, Anna went back for an associates degree from Borough of Manhattan Community College, but still found herself working irregularly. Anna then entered a computer training program at one of Bottomless Closet’s referral agencies. “I saw how things were going,” Anna says. “Everything was becoming computerized, and I realized that it was essential for me to learn and to become familiar with software programs.” With the help of the referral agency, Anna updated her resume and was ready to interview. Her visit to Bottomless Closet was her entrée into a new life. “I had never needed corporate attire before. I was going into a new world and the clothes helped me program myself for this world.” Anna is now an enthusiastic participant at Bottomless Closet’s evening seminars. “At Bottomless Closet I feel completely comfortable, totally accepted, and I get the support I need to continue to improve my job prospects.”

Beverly Emers “Two years ago, when I was a fugitive from the law for drug-related crimes, I had a moment of clarity and gave myself up.” Beverly Emers, who had not worked in over four years, entered a drug treatment program run by Palladia, where she spent one and a half years with her infant son. Having turned her life around, Beverly now has her own apartment, organized childcare, and has left public assistance. Beverly first came to us when she needed a work-appropriate outfit to be part of a Bottomless Closet presentation at a Palladia event celebrating Women’s History Month. "I began to receive information from Bottomless Closet and was attracted to the workshops. As soon as I attended my first workshop, I fell in love with Bottomless Closet - what they offer is what I need at a time in my life when I’m trying to grow. And Bottomless Closet makes me feel truly welcome.” Beverly has attended workshops on financial management and yoga, as well as attending the Open Door Academy on Saturdays. “It’s not clothes that interest me," Beverly says, "I want what Bottomless Closet offers for the inside.” Beverly recently completed a training program in non-traditional employment and began a four-year apprenticeship with the District Council of Carpenters. "Now I have hopes and plans for the future.” “Bottomless Closet is a really great opportunity," she says, "and more women should know about it.”

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Amanda Garcia Amanda Garcia was one of Bottomless Closet’s first clients when she came for clothing and interview practice in early 1999. With the skills she had acquired at a Wildcat job training program, and her new outfits, Amanda landed a job at Morgan Stanley. “I was exhilarated to be working at Morgan Stanley. It was my dream come true to work for a Fortune 500 company.” But the economy was changing and in 2002 Amanda’s dream job, along with the whole unit, was outsourced. Unemployed for a year and a half, Amanda knew she had to retrain. So while she searched for employment, Amanda completed the certification for Legal Office Assistants. As a legal secretary in a large law firm, she now loves providing administrative assistance to three attorneys. Despite having this job for two years, Amanda is a temp. She has no health benefits and no job security. “Fortunately my daughter and I have been blessed with good health, as we have no coverage at all.” Since her first visit Amanda has stayed connected to Bottomless Closet. “It’s family,” she says, “providing support and encouragement in the hard times.” Amanda has been involved in the mentoring program and was a member of the Client Advisory Committee. “I can now afford to buy my own clothes, but I’ll always thank Bottomless Closet for teaching me how to dress professionally and present myself at my best.” Since she began at Wildcat, Amanda has never been on public assistance of any kind. “I’m determined to show my daughter that we can hold down professional well-paid jobs, go to college, and be self-sufficient and successful.”

Annie Harris “There’s always a solution,” says Annie Harris, “as I learned studying math in grade school. You may not see it right away, or for a while, but there’s always a solution.” Annie’s positive approach to life was severely tested on September 11, 2001. Pregnant with her fifth child, she was too unwell to go to her job as a cook at the Dow Jones offices in the World Trade Center. Not long after the birth of her baby, Annie’s husband left her. With bills to be paid and children to feed, Annie, who had worked since high school, was forced to seek public assistance. She was connected to CUNY’s Poised for Success – a skills and educational program for mothers with children under three. And the solution began to appear. Referred by POISED, one year later, Annie came to Bottomless Closet. One week after starting her work assignment with COPE (College Opportunity to Prepare for Employment) at Bronx Community College, Annie was offered a paid position that was made full-time in June 2004. Bottomless Closet now offers Annie the opportunity to extend her skills and broaden her horizons. “Would you believe that before I attended Bottomless Closet’s budgeting workshops I thought you saved all the money first and then bought your house?” She now understands that there are home financing options available. “And from the yoga and workshops on nutrition, I’ve improved my mind, my body, and my children’s health.” Her only criticism is: “the workshops should be longer, those two hours just fly by.” When asked how she manages as a single parent, with a long commute and a full-time job, Annie laughs. “What could be better than productive, fulfilling work and the support and love of my family? And next year as well as starting college, I’d like to volunteer at Bottomless Closet.”

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Josephine Oramas If financial literacy had been taught at school, Josephine Oramas would not have spent years scraping and skimping to pay off her college loans. She did not understand how the loans would accrue interest; her debt had doubled by the time she began to pay it back. Like so many other women Josephine's college education was derailed when she had children. Now at 46, her children grown, she is planning to go back to study. In 2001 she came to Bottomless Closet for clothing and interview assistance and has been employed ever since – for the past three years as the receptionist at the Citizens' Advice Bureau in the Bronx. Josephine is a regular at the Bottomless Closet Financial Management Series, run by Tami Peter. "The workshops help me to use my money wisely, spread what I've got to get what I want," she says. "Before attending these workshops I didn’t know how to budget or consolidate credit card debt, or what a retirement fund is, or why it is necessary.” Most important of all, Josephine was encouraged to not feel intimidated or embarrassed by her finances, and to ask questions. “We women are always afraid that if we ask a bank or employer to explain to us what they're doing with our money, we're going to look silly. With the confidence I gained from Tami I went to the bank on a Saturday and sat down with a representative, who explained to me in detail how to read my checking account and fill in my stubs. I didn't realize I was doing it wrong. They were so nice and now I do know what to do.” Thanks to what Josephine has learned in the financial management workshops she has finally paid off her student loan, and is now saving for a house. back to top