Cares Spotlight: The Wardrobe

EDA Cares was created to unite the EDA community and assist local individuals in need. The Cares Committee comprises of EDA staff members who volunteer their time with meaningful charities and receive support from their colleagues. This structure empowers employees to support causes important to them and provides access to additional resources that allow them to make a greater impact. 

This month, EDA is highlighting one of its charities of choice: The Wardrobe. This charity was selected by EDA’s Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Reputation Management, Jacklyn Isasi.

What is The Wardrobe?

The Wardrobe is a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to supporting people seeking employment or moving towards independence after incarceration, entering recovery, or stepping into adulthood. The Wardrobe recognizes that for people experiencing barriers to employment and independence, clothing insecurity is real. Clothing insecurity means not having anything to wear or not having the right thing to wear in specific situations.  

The Wardrobe looks to solve those insecurities by providing a stable source of well-maintained clothing from casual to workwear. While the clothing is available for sale, it is also free to anyone referred. The Wardrobe hopes to serve their recipients by helping build confidence and motivation and starting them down the path to financial independence. 

“There are many people in society that are marginalized or systemically disadvantaged, and The Wardrobe’s programs aim to level the playing field. By helping an individual with their job search and dressing them for success, The Wardrobe can change the trajectory of someone’s life.”

Jacklyn Isasi | VP of Marketing, Communications, and Reputation Management | EDA Contractors

Why The Wardrobe?

Isasi chose to work with The Wardrobe after volunteering for a charity in North Jersey that provided clothing to women in need. This experience made her aware of the struggles faced by those lacking proper attire. When she moved to the Philadelphia region and learned about The Wardrobe, she immediately wanted to get involved.

“I met a woman who was experiencing a hardship and needed clothing for an upcoming interview. She had nothing to wear to make a good first impression and land a job she desperately needed to take care of herself and her small children. It made me realize how much we take for granted what is in our wardrobe, and the impact it can have on our future.”

Jacklyn Isasi | VP of Marketing, Communications, and Reputation Management | EDA Contractors

In addition to addressing clothing insecurity, Isasi was particularly impressed by The Wardrobe’s initiatives that prepare individuals entering the workforce or reentering society after incarceration. They offer professional development opportunities, helping individuals acquire key skills to obtain employment and build meaningful careers. Isasi explains, “These initiatives mean the most to me because they create an opportunity for equity and change.” Moving forward, The Wardrobe will be able to provide educational classes and one-on-one coaching to help people accelerate their job search. 

Support from EDA

EDA Cares is proud to be a partner of The Wardrobe and show its support in any way possible. One of EDA’s contributions is an annual clothing drive where employees donate new and gently used men’s and women's clothing items. This usually results in over 100 bags of clothes for The Wardrobe. Additionally, EDA volunteers have helped enhance The Wardrobe’s facilities by building shelving systems in their office and storage spaces, as well as countertops for sorting and folding items. Most recently, EDA Cares installed custom-built dressing room doors for The Wardrobe. These efforts will help The Wardrobe staff provide the best experience for their clients.  

You can learn more about this charity as well as EDA’s other charitable work at edacontractors.com/culture.