As she dresses for work, Marie adds the finishing touches to her business casual attire. She puts on a gold necklace, an accessory that is special to the 52-year-old. It is a reminder of a time when she was between jobs and was in need of professional business attire for a job interview.

Born and raised in South Carolina, Marie (who does not want to use her last name), moved to Utah in 1998 for the promising job market and the opportunity to apply the skills she had learned from the marketing degree she earned at Winthrop University. Upon her arrival, she landed a job working in human resources at the University of Utah.

In 2014, when Marie was between jobs, she found herself searching for employment through Workforce Services in Salt Lake City. Worried about what to wear to an interview, she learned about the Junior League of Salt Lake City and the Women Helping Women clothing boutique.

“Clothes can be costly,” Marie says, “One of the counselors [at DWS] told me about the JLSLC.” She received her voucher to visit the clothing boutique and found comfort knowing that she had a place to find an outfit for this interview.

Upon walking through the doors, Marie was impressed with how organized everything was. Her interactions with the volunteers made it even better. “Everyone made me feel at ease,” she says enthusiastically about her visit where she found something to wear to her upcoming interview. “They were all so helpful in selecting the outfits and helping me select things to match. It turned out to be a fun shopping experience.”

At one of her two visits at the boutique, she discovered a beautiful gold necklace that has often been incorporated into her wardrobe. Gratitude exudes from her warm voice during our phone conversation, and she adds, “I was very satisfied; you are all very generous.”

The confidence she gained from this experience translated to a positive experience as she interviewed, “When you wear something that looks good on you, it makes you feel good on the inside, and it helps you project a positive image.”

Marie was inspired to give back to the organization that helped her and has since volunteered at Women Helping Women and even organized a clothing drive at her office where more than eight bags of clothing were donated.

In the summer of 2019, Marie’s team at UTA was planning a community service project, and she shared her experience and desire to pay it forward and give back to the boutique that had a profound impact on her. What started as a small project within her department grew to incorporate every employee at UTA. “Quite a few people were unaware of the organization,” she says, surprised to learn that many people at her office were unfamiliar with the Junior League and its boutique. She was proud to introduce them to the organization and see their drive to support this need in the community.

As a volunteer, Marie was in awe of what happens behind the scenes. “Everybody is so generous with how they give to the organization.” She was also moved by the women visiting the boutique, “I noticed the excitement and the joy and how it made other people feel — I felt how excited they were.” It takes her back to the time when she was in the boutique herself and found the professional wear that she needed and the gold necklace that she is wearing today. More than an accessory, it is a reminder to Marie of the gratitude she felt when she was in need of a job. “It reminds me of what I went through and the people who helped me along the way.”