n all my 30 years as CEO of Working Wardrobes, I have found that this year – by far – has been the most challenging. This is also one of the most difficult messages I’ve ever had to write.

This double whammy we’re going through – the fire that destroyed our building in February and the recent COVID-19 pandemic that has caused significant economic hardships to so many businesses – has hit us very hard as well. We’ve had to make the most the painful decision of all by laying off a majority of our staff as of March 27th.

To put it simply, Working Wardrobes is a big part of my family. Our team is terrific and I love them. I also know that tough times often call for gut-wrenching decisions.

Sadly, this is one of those times.

We were as generous as possible to our staff, extending a number of important benefits to help lessen the burden. They are exceptional people who deserve it. They are simply being impacted by something beyond their control.

At this moment, our remaining 10 Team Leaders are actively strategizing and regrouping so that Working Wardrobes will be better than ever when our world settles down. We know this is a temporary situation and are optimistic that things will return to normal, sooner rather than later.

You will be receiving the first Working Wardrobes Rebuild Report, very soon, to update you on our efforts and how we will use your generous contributions when we can rebuild.

Even more important, we have found new ways to service our clients again with an exciting initiative called Rebuilding Careers, a series of virtual training workshops. The technology is fabulous, and our volunteers are even more so. They are lending their time and professional talents to train our clients on important career topics, including interview skills, resume writing, career planning, LinkedIn expertise, and much more. These workshops are open to the entire community as a way for us to send a gift back to so many people who are in need right now. Visit workingwardrobes.org/rebuilding-careers/ for more information.

Our first-ever Rebuilding Careers virtual training had nearly 40 clients in attendance and a lot of enthusiastic discussion. It is wonderful to be able to find creative ways to provide our services, and to continue to deliver on our mission of helping people achieve the Power of a Paycheck.

I know we will find ourselves on solid ground, once again, and I look forward to staying in contact with you.

The article above was released by Jerri Rosen, CEO of Working Wardrobes.