‘Little Black Dress’ week spotlights ‘invisible poverty’ in Greater Morristown

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little black dress initiativeFrom the Junior League of Morristown

The Junior League of Morristown (JLM), in partnership with Dress For Success Morris County and the ShopRite of Greater Morristown, will kick off its Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI) the week of  Nov.14, 2016.

LBDI is a poverty awareness and fundraising campaign that sheds light on the “invisible poverty” that surrounds us, with the goal of raising awareness and funds to help lift the burden carried by the most vulnerable in our community.

Mary Jean Barnes, executive director of Dress for Success Morris County, said her organization is pleased to participate.

“We are aligned in our goals to raise awareness and serve the community by providing critical resources and support to help break the cycle of poverty,” she said.

League members throughout Morris County will wear one black dress for five days to illustrate the effects poverty can have on a woman’s access to resources, confidence and opportunities. They will wear a pin that says, “Ask Me About My Dress,” to spark conversation and spread awareness of the initiative and its objectives.

Participants will have the option to donate their worn black dress, at the conclusion of the initiative, to Dress for Success of Morris County. Cleaners Advantage, a local dry cleaner in Madison, has offered to clean the dresses for donations.

Throughout the week, JLM will be taking to social media with important poverty facts and figures, and participants will post their experiences.  Like, share, and follow us using hashtags #JLMwearsLBD and #MakingPovertyUnFashionable.

“The LBDI is an initiative being conducted by Junior Leagues throughout the United States and internationally, and we are proud to bring the LBDI to Morris County to talk about the ‘invisible poverty’ that exists in our community, especially among the teen population who are so vulnerable to the effects,” said JLM President Heather Bochner.

“This past year, our League adopted an issue-based community impact area focused on the unmet needs of teens in our county, and the LBDI is a great opportunity for us to learn more, have a first-hand experience, and start a dialogue.

“Our members have a lot of enthusiasm for this event and we hope the community will get involved by asking about our pins, following us on social media and supporting our participants.”

By participating in the LBDI, participants will be reinforcing the new community impact, which addresses the unmet needs of teens in Morris County and the surrounding area to ensure ample food, resources and education are provided to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Why is this campaign necessary?

  • As of 2014, Morris County has 5,145 children living under the Federal Poverty Guideline. The Federal Poverty Guideline for a family 4 is $24,300 per year.*
  • As of the 2015-2016 school year, 1,960 in Morris County are receiving free or reduced lunch. However, it is estimated that only 18 percent of the eligible children are enrolled in the program.*
  • The fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Morris County is $1,280 a month. In order to afford this apartment, a household would need to earn over $51,000 per year. At the NJ minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, that is 135 hours per week, 52 weeks a year!**
  • As of 2013, 21 percent of families, or 179,876 families, are above the Federal Poverty Guideline but live below the ALICE threshold (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed). This means they are in the gap between the Federal Poverty Guideline and the Threshold Survival budget (the cost to afford the basic needs).

Sources: *2015 New Jersey Kids Count from Advocates for Children of New Jersey; #ALICE Report from the United Way; **Family Promise Morris County

What can you do?

Donate to the Cause: Click here to make a donation and help the Junior League of Morristown meet our goal of $10,000. Monies raised will support the League’s mission of promoting the health and wellness of Morris-area teens and related community projects.

Support our Partners:

Donate professional interview style clothing to Dress for Success Morris County. Here is more information on how to donate to Dress for Success.

ShopRite of Greater Morristown will be collecting items to support two of the JLM’s community partners, the Morristown High School Colonial Closet & the Interfaith Food Pantry. Click  here for the shopping list

JLM wishes to thank our partners for their support: Dress for Success Morris County, Greater Morristown ShopRite and the law offices of Veres & Riordan, LLC.

For more information on the Junior League of Morristown & Little Black Dress Initiative visit here.

About the Junior League of Morristown

The Junior League of Morristown, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Since its founding in 1936, the Junior League of Morristown has been an organization of women bringing people and needs together. We welcome all women over the age of 21 who demonstrate a commitment to voluntarism regardless of race, religion or national origin.

Currently there are over 300 active, provisional, and sustaining members from Morris area. The Junior League of Morristown is part of the Association of Junior Leagues International, which includes 291 Junior Leagues in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Great Britain. For more information about the Association, visit www.ajli.org and www.jlmnj.org.

About the ShopRite of Greater Morristown

Village Super Market ShopRite stores have been proudly giving back to the communities they serve since 1937, helping to embody their vision of “Helping Families Live Better.”

About Dress for Success, Morris County

Dress for Success, Morris County is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. The organization serves women in 10 counties in Northern New Jersey. For more information, contact morriscoutny@dressforsuccess.org or morriscounty.dressforsuccess.org.

1 COMMENT

  1. This is such a great initiative to support a great cause and a great organization! I’m honored to participate and am being challenged and inspired by wearing the same dress all week!

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