Bob Bryan, Executive Director, Dignity U Wear Foundation
Mission
To positively impact the lives of children and their families in need by providing brand new clothing.
Serving Jacksonville
Based in Jacksonville, started by philanthropist Henri Landwirth in 2000.
Those served
Dignity U Wear directly serves social service nonprofit agencies who then serve individuals in need. That way, social work professionals are making the decisions about who needs the clothing and ordering for specific needs. It allows us to specialize in procuring and distributing clothing. We currently serve 345 partner agencies nationwide, of which 63 are in Northeast Florida. We distribute about $12 million worth of clothing annually.
Biggest challenge
We want to be the definitive new-clothing nonprofit in America. I don’t know of any organization working with brand new clothing that is thinking about the challenges of providing the direct, focused, significant level of service on the scale we are attempting. We have a big challenge, but we can see the path. We think Jacksonville will be proud to have grown this organization from just a seed of an idea in Henri Landwirth’s mind.
Biggest satisfaction
The partnerships with hundreds of agencies, apparel companies, donors and our great patron, Stein Mart. For example, we provide Suited for Success locally with clothing for its hugely impactful back-to-work program with suits from San Francisco-based Men’s Wearhouse. We can afford to process those suits with Annual Fund gifts from individuals all over the country.
Your hometown
Raleigh, N.C.
Your first experience with community service
The InterFraternity Council Food Drive at NC State as an undergraduate. It was the biggest single food donation the local food bank received every year. That campaign worked because it was traditional and people expected to participate every year. It tapped into the competitive fire between fraternities, and it leveraged existing social systems and institutional relationships. It had very little to do with warm hearts, and it worked amazingly well.
Your job before Dignity U Wear
Chapter President of the Eastern NC Chapter of the National MS Society
Upcoming events
The Dignity Excellence Wine and Food Tasting, 6 p.m., Sept. 23, in the Modis Building lobby. Tickets are $75.
Contact information
www.dignityuwear.org or 636-9455