HomeMy WebLinkAboutCRA-R-12-0074 10-29-12 BackupFOR so
250 NW 9th Street Miami, Florida 33136 305-444-1944 www.dfsmiami.org
CRA Grants Division
49 NW 5th Street Suite 100
Miami, Florida 33128
To whom it may concern:
August 10, 2012
Suited For Success, Inc. is requesting a grant in the amount of $80,000 from the CRA so that we may
continue to provide low-income and disadvantaged clients with our vital employment skills training,
professional business clothing and career development services.
Since starting operations in 1994, Suited for Success has provided services to over 35,000 low-
income men, women and youth in Miami -Dade County. At SFS we have instilled a level of
confidence, dignity and empowerment among our at -risk populations in Miami and have seen great
success stories these past few years. There is a great demand and need for our services especially
given the recent economic downturn and last year alone we provided services to 1310 adults and
youth seeking employment of which more than 400 came from the SEOPW/CRA community.
As we enter our 3rd year in the SEOPW/CRA neighborhood here are some of the accomplishments we
have had over the past year:
We reached out and established relationships with the following local agencies/businesses:
Transition, Inc., Overtown Youth Center, YWCA, Camillus House, Urgent Inc., Lotus House, The
Overtown NET Office, Mt. Zion Development Co., MDC Hospitality Training Institute, U. Of Miami
Business School Hyperion Club (working with Overtown businesses), and Booker T. Washington
Senior High School, St. Agnes Rainbow Village CDC, and the Bethal AME (BAME) Development
Corporation of South Florida, Miami Rescue Mission, Community Action Agency, and the Overtown
Community Oversight Board/Overtown Advisory Board. These are only a partial list of the 120
agencies that refer clients to our office.
We established free haircuts, color and cuts for all SFS clients with a Beauty Salon in Miami;
established an ongoing relationship with Walmart for the 2nd year who has become a sponsor and
joined our board of directors; brought new corporate partners to visit us at Dorsey House and become
involved in our employment skills training programs such as Dell, UnitedHealthcare, Carnival Cruise
Lines, Perry Ellis International, Airbus and Baptist Health. In December of 2012, we are planning to
open a fashion boutique at the comer of NW 8th St and 3rd Ave. as part of the development project
with Mt. Zion Development Co.; We have created a bi-annual newsletter that is distributed to all City
of Miami Commissioners, corporate sponsors, media, donors and individuals in our data base of over
10,000 about our accomplishments in the neighborhood.
I would like to request that we be placed on the September agenda of the CRA Commission meeting
so that we can avoid any interruption of services to the community as our current contract ends
November 1, 2012. We look forward to another successful year of providing the much needed
services to our Local residents.
Thank you for ypur consideration.
Sincerely,
Sonia Taco
Executive Director
Suited For Success
Budgeted Items
Salaries for Project Staff
Trainers (2)
FICA/MICA
Telephone
Rent
Utilities
Printing
Liability/Property Insurance
Contingency
Total Request
Inc. 2012-2013
Amount Description/Narrative
46% of Salary of Executive Director ($40,000) and 45% of
60,000 Program Trainer ($20,000)
4,590 7.65% of salaries
$100/month toward AT&T bill for office- approx 33% of
1,200 total bill.
6,000 Rent is $1,100/mo. Request is for 45% of annual rent.
1,200 $100 toward monthly FPL bill - avg of $250/mo.
Printing, collating and binding of 725 training manuals at
2,410 20-25 color pages ea. Estimate is $3.33 ea.
600 Approx 46% of Liability Ins. required for program.
4,000
80,000
Suited For Success
Grant Proposal
CRA
FY 2012-2013
The mission of Suited For Success (SFS) is to promote the economic independence of
disadvantaged men, women and youth by providing employment skills training, professional
business attire for job interviews, a network of support and the career development tools to
help them thrive in work and in life. We strive to provide assistance for the unemployed and
under -employed adults and youth in the Overtown community helping them gain the
professional skills they will need to find employment, accelerate their job search and build
confidence through ongoing training sessions, one-on-one career coaching and networking
in a supportive environment.
Founded in 1994, Suited for Success answered a vital need for career -building initiatives
after welfare reform was instituted. The Welfare Reform Act in 1996 set time restrictions for
recipients on public assistance, which in tum forced heads of households into low -wage
jobs. Because of the rapid increase in the number of poor, working adults, they had become
a much underserved segment of society. Through our programs and services, Suited for
Success was able to answer the needs of a growing, poverty-stricken workforce. Suited for
Success has seen over 30,000 since inception.
As a part of our program, weekly or monthly job training classes are held at our office at
"Dorsey House' as well as at partnering agencies throughout Miami -Dade County. Our
skills training course prepares clients on a variety of topics: Managing the job search;
Interviewing skills; Proper dress; Resume writing; Financial literacy; Mock interviews. Once
training has been -completed, clients are given an appointment to receive business attire for
their job interview.
Clients arrive at SFS by referral only from over 120 social service agencies including
homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and welfare -to -work job training centers.
These partnering agencies refer clients to us while adhering to our strict referral criteria. In
an average year, over 1000 clients will be served by SFS. 60% of our clients are African -
American, 45% are Hispanic and 5% are defined as "other" which includes Asian American,
Native American and those who don't define their background. Last year alone we provided
services to 1300 clients of which approximately 450 came from the Overtown community.
Upon completion of the employment skills training course, clients receive an appointment at
the SFS office to get them ready for their interviews. One-on-one assistance from trained
volunteers help select a wardrobe appropriate for a job interview. Our volunteers are
trained to gently guide the clients through the selection process, making recommendations
and educating them on workplace expectations.
Each client, be it man or woman, who comes to SFS receives personal attention and is
treated with dignity and respect. Clients are encouraged to discuss their upcoming
interview, professional presentation, child-care plans, and other concerns. Creating a
positive environment for the client, SFS strives to stimulate self-confidence helping clients
overcome the fears associated with job interviewing.
Suited for Success wants to build upon our 18 successful years of providing programs that
support economic and social development to low-income clients who are entering or
returning to the workforce. When we assist a client with skills to enable them to feel more
confident in their job search and ultimately find employment we are helping a future
generation into systematic change.
Everyday we work towards getting men, women and their children out of poverty and into
self-sufficiency by providing a cadre of services to move them into self-sufficiency.
With funding from the CRA we will be able to continue to meet the demands of the many
people and agencies that call upon us for assistance. This past year we have had referrals
from the following agencies located within the CRA boundaries: Transition, Inc.,The
Overtown Youth Center, YWCA, Camillus House, Urgent Inc., Better Way of Miami, The
Overtown NET Office, MDC Hospitality Training Institute, The Chapman Partnership and
Booker T. Washington Senior High School. These are only a partial list of the 120 agencies
that refer clients to our office throughout the year.
New to our clients this year, we will be providing free haircuts, color and cuts for all SFS
clients with a well known Beauty Salon in Miami. We have established a relationship with
Walmart who has become a corporate sponsor. We distributed flyers throughout the
neighborhood about available job opportunities with Walmart stores.
We are planning to open a fashion boutique at the corner of NW 8th St and 3`d Ave in the Fall
as part of the development project with Mt. Zion Development Co. which will bring many of
our donors, volunteers and supporters from the community to visit us at the gateway to
Overtown.
We are creating a newsletter that will go out to all City of Miami Commissioners and staff
about our accomplishments in the neighborhood.
Suited for Success is requesting that the CRA consider our request for $80,000 to fund our
program. Together, we can provide encouragement and opportunity to otherwise
underserved clients in our community.
Community Recognition
Over the past 18 years, SFS has received an enormous amount of community recognition.
Here are some highlights:
• Florida's Finest Award given my Govemor Lawton Chiles
• Outstanding Community Service Award given by Vice -President Al Gore & The
White House
• United Way impact Partner & Service Award Winner
• Feature story on CNN December 2009
• Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce Diamond Award Finalist
• Department of Juvenile Justice Award Winner
• South Florida Work Force Award Winner
• City of South Miami Trailblazer Award
• Women's Committee of One Hundred Award Winner
• City of Miami Award Winner
• Non -Violence Project Award Winner
• PACE Award Winner
• South Florida Women's Business Conference Award Winner
• National Association of Courts Award Winner
• Jewish Community Services multiple Award Winner
• Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Award Winner
• Proclamations from Miami -Dade County, City of Miami, City of South Miami