219-263-0001
What we do
Dressed for School aims to help elementary students who come from families in need by providing them with quality clothing at no cost. The students will be able to select their own clothing in a shopping environment.
At Dressed for School, our goal is to provide every student with the opportunity to feel confident about the clothing they are wearing.
We strongly believe that these students will benefit from choosing their own wardrobe and wearing new, well-fitting, back-to-school clothing and shoes. In turn, their increased confidence will lead to greater school success and improved social interaction.
OUR MISSION
Nurturing our youth
To provide new clothing at no cost to elementary students in Porter County from low-income families or families in-crisis in a supportive store-like environment.
When we put on a piece of clothing we cannot help but adopt some of the characteristics associated with it, even if we are unaware of it.
Professor Karen J. Pine
University of Herfordshire U.K.
CONFIDENT KIDS LEARN BETTER
Scientific Research has shown that clothing actually can change the way one performs and feels. In the January 2016 edition of Scientific American, “Dress for Success: How Clothes Influence our Performance,” authors Matthew Hutson and Tori Rodriguez found that the clothes you wear can affect your mental and physical performance. They assert that dressing in appropriate, formal clothing can affect job performance and productivity.
Science has shown that people have a perception about certain clothing items that can directly affect the way they perform attention-demanding tasks. In the July 2012 edition of The Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, authors Hajo Adam and Adam D. Galinsky termed ‘enclothed cognition’ as the phenomenon describing the effect clothing has on the cognitive process. In their study, subjects were asked to perform several attention-demanding tasks while wearing a white lab coat. The subjects wearing the lab coat scored substantially higher and made fewer mistakes than those subjects who were wearing a white smock. The authors attribute the statistically significant difference in scores to the symbolic meaning attributed to different attire.
It seems clothing can have a powerful influence on the self-perception and confidence of a person, including hidden clothing like socks and underwear.
HOW WE HELP
Each child will receive a wardrobe which will include:
Eligible children are able to select a wardrobe twice per year.
- 5 New pair of underwear/ 1 New bra for girls
- 5 New pair of socks
- 5 New shirts or tops
- 4 New pants or bottoms
- 1 Pair of new gym shoes per wardrobe
Executive Director
Michelle Michaels
Contact our Executive Director at execdirector@dressedforschool.org
Our Operations Manager - Hanna Frey
Hanna Frey resides in Valparaiso with her husband, Jared, and their two daughters, Emily and Madeline.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services from Purdue University. She is interested in serving our community and previously worked as a case manager at Family House in Valparaiso.
Hanna enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also enjoys working with children and is very excited to be the Operations Manager for Dressed for School!
Contact Hanna at opmanager@dressedforschool.org
OUR BOARD
Kristen Crane, President
Angie Moon, Vice-President
Amy Bowman, Treasurer
Stephanie Soleymani, Secretary
Jackie Dakich
Laura Evans
Lisa Hauser
Julie Douglas, Emeritus
OUR SPONSORS
We are thankful to all the individuals and community members who support our mission.
Gold Sponsors
Dr. Anthony Levenda & Family
Delta Theta Tau - Valparaiso
Porter County Community Foundation
Stracci Law Group
Women's Fund of Porter County
Silver Sponsors
CN Rail
Dermio Dermatology
Rotary Club of Valparaiso
Sunrise Kiwanis
Tri Kappa - Iota Chapter
Tri Kappa - Zeta Mu Chapter
