FOOTHILL RANCH,
California – February 15, 2012 –
Smart Circle® International, the
leader in referral-based marketing, announced today it will be hosting a “100
Dresses” drive from February 2-17, 2012 to collect donations for Working
Wardrobes’ annual “Dream Girls and Distinguished Gentlemen” Prom Event. The
dress drive will aim to collect 100 prom dresses and suits to bring 150 young
adults from local low-income families a memorable prom experience. Smart Circle
employee Josie Yerenas will also serve as a Community Volunteer at the annual
event, which will be held on March 10
th at the Hilton Irvine.
“Prom is a right of passage for all high school students,”
said Josie Yerenas, who is organizing the event for Smart Circle. “When I was
in high school, particularly my senior year, there were only two events I
thought about all day, everyday: graduation and my senior prom. I can’t even
imagine these girls and boys sharing the same excitement I had for such a
significant event and not being able to look the way they want to because they
can’t afford something as simple as a dress or tux. For many of us, a
prom dress may be something we just have tucked away in our closets collecting
dust, but for some of these seniors, that simple dress or tux can make their
night.”
The dress drive will be held at Smart Circle’s corporate
headquarters in Foothill Ranch. Employees will bring in an array of attire
essentials for a prom celebration, including formal wear (e.g. tuxedos, prom
dresses, dress shirts and heels) and accessories (e.g. purses, jewelry, bowties
and cumber buns). Several employees have already donated dresses and shoes to
the drive.
Following the drive, Yerenas will join 300 volunteers at Working
Wardrobe’s Prom Event, which will provide 150 at-risk high-school seniors with
a series of workshops and the opportunity to select their own dresses, tuxes,
shoes and accessories for prom night. The workshops will cover topics such as
etiquette and empowerment. Yerenas also volunteered at this event last year,
where she served as a personal shopper, helping three girls select dresses,
shoes and jewelry.
“Working Wardrobes not only allows seniors to find their
dream gown or tux, but also provides these young
adults with an event that both empowers and equips them with life and career
development skills that they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives,”
said Erin Selawski, HR Manager at Smart Circle. “I am so excited to
support such an impactful, life-changing event with these graduating seniors.”
Throughout the year, Smart Circle employees are actively
involved in local charitable and community events. Smart Circle also provides generous
donations to local, national and global organizations and foundations for a
variety of causes, including medical, education, homelessness, and humanitarian
concerns. This past December, Smart Circle adopted 17 local families in the
Orange County area and held an in-house toy drive. By hosting toy and food
drives and offering matching contributions to donations, the company hopes to
inspire its employees to give back to the communities they serve, and foster a
work environment where charity is encouraged and admired.
“I am constantly amazed by the generosity and giving spirit
of our employees here at Smart Circle,” said Sharon Celis, HR Manager at Smart
Circle. “We hope that this dress drive will both inspire involvement in future
charitable initiatives and serve as memorable, life-changing experiences for
our employees and the families they are serving.”
For the past 21 years, Working Wardrobes, based in Costa
Mesa, CA, has provided career development and wardrobe services for men, women
and young adults overcoming life’s most difficult challenges. The nonprofit organization
supports individuals from Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego and the Inland
Empire facing hardships such as homelessness, catastrophic illness, alcohol and
substance abuse, traumatic financial losses, and more.
The Prom Event and Dress Drive program is now in its 12th
year. In addition to this event, the organization offers and hosts a variety of
resources and events throughout the year, including a career development
center, classroom training programs, “Day of Self Esteem” workshops, Success
Events and a variety of fundraising activities to help increase its clients’
confidence and success in the workplace.
Through its programs and events, Working Wardrobes has transformed more
than 50,000 lives.
About Smart Circle® International
Since 1989, Smart Circle has been the dominant force in referral marketing
worldwide. Major companies across a number of industries, including consumer
products, electronics, gourmet and specialty foods, home improvement, salons
and spas, professional and independent sports teams, restaurants and area
attractions, turn to Smart Circle International to build traffic, enhance brand
loyalty, fill unused capacity and generate new customers. Smart Circle
International reaches consumers face-to-face through its retail, event and
community marketing networks. Smart Circle® International and The Smart Circle®
are trademarks of Smart Circle International, LLC.
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