Men's Wearhouse co-sponsors 5th annual Capitol PurSuit Drive

04 Jun '08

4 min read

Indika Wijesekera, a Men's Wearhouse assistant store manager in the Los Angeles area, joined Mr. Zimmer at the event. Wijesekera fell on hard times as a young adult, but after rehabilitating himself he attended a “Day of Self Esteem” program sponsored by Men's Wearhouse and run by Working Wardrobes, an organization that provides career counseling and appropriate clothing for men, women and at-risk teens preparing to re-enter the workforce. Men's Wearhouse donates clothes to the program each year, and Wijesekera said the suit and the second chance given to him by Men's Wearhouse were invaluable.

“The fact that Men's Wearhouse gave me a suit, then a second chance, is what keeps me motivated to succeed,” he said.

Pelosi said the success of the drive illustrates how clothes can empower men and women to advance in their careers and have a second chance in the workforce. “We are excited that this year marks the fifth consecutive drive where individuals in the Washington, D.C. area will have the opportunity to benefit from the proper interview attire and be given the opportunity to emerge as leaders within the workforce and their community,” she said.

Also attending the event were U.S. Reps. Ron Kind of Wisconsin and Loretta Sanchez of California.

Founded by Dave Wenhold, a partner at the lobbying firm of Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, the Capitol PurSuit Drive was created to provide “a hand-up, not a hand-out” to Washington D.C.'s economically disadvantaged population. The suit drive accepts donations of men's or women's gently used suits, dress shirts, blouses, belts or shoes which are then distributed to a number of local non-profit organizations.

This year's drive will gather professional clothing for Career Gear, the National Association of Former Foster Care Children of America (NAFFCCA), the National Association of Black Veterans, Project Empowerment, Covenant House of Washington, East River Clergy Police Community Partner (ERCPCP), the Community Empowerment Training Academy (CETA), the Progressive Life Center, Gospel Rescue Ministries and Menzfit.

“We are very excited that the Capitol PurSuit Drive continues to be a tremendous success,” said Wenhold. “The proper attire can truly make a difference in an individual's life. With these donations,men and women will have the opportunity to walk into an interview with confidence, which is the essential first step toward economic stability. We hope to provide even more people with that opportunity this year. We're giving them more than a suit. We're giving them hope.”

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