The story of Suits for Success began when I attempted to start a Bible study group at Stateville Prison, one of 34 state prisons in Illinois. In November 2016, the prison’s chaplain wrote an email to several organizations requesting gently used clothes that would be suitable for parolees to wear for job interviews. The email made its way to me, and I felt a calling to gather a group of friends and colleagues to fill this need. The group eventually became Suits for Success.

By providing clean, professional attire, we hope to bolster the confidence and enthusiasm that parolees need to make a fresh start. We want to help free men and women from the cycle of imprisonment, parol, and imprisonment again. Our original goal was to reduce recidivism of the 41,000 inmates that are housed in the State of Illinois Correctional facilities by 2%.

Donations to Suits have doubled over the years, and our volunteer base has grown to 21. Now, our services have expanded beyond Illinois. To date, our volunteers have delivered over 106,000 articles of clothing to the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, the Juvenile Department within Illinois, the DuPage Correctional System, and the Sheriff’s Office of Haywood County, North Carolina.

Businesses, churches, non-profits, and individuals throughout DuPage, Cook, Will, and Kane Counties have donated clothes. Additional donations have come from California, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, and New York. Thank you to all of our contributors:

  • Bar Association of DuPage County, IL
  • Birches Assisted Living Community, Clarendon Hills, IL
  • Chamberlain Companies Inc., Oakbrook, IL
  • Community Methodist Church, Naperville, IL
  • CNA Insurance
  • Encore Shop, Silver Cross Hospital Resale Store, Crest Hill, IL
  • Exelon
  • First Presbyterian Church of LaGrange, IL
  • First United Methodist Church of LaGrange, IL
  • KC Cleaners of Joliet, IL
  • Metropolitan Insurance
  • Sharing Connections, Downers Grove, IL
  • Willow Creek Church, Barrington, IL
  • Woodridge United Methodist Church, Woodridge, IL
 

As Suits for Success has grown, so has our understanding of the way that clothing reuse benefits our communities. First, we have an environmental benefit, as all of our clothing is redirected from landfills and put to good use. Learn more about our environmental impact here. Second, we are saving taxpayer dollars. The Illinois Department of Corrections has recognized us as filling an ever-increasing need. By collecting, cleaning, and supplying clothing, they conservatively estimate that we save the state about $800,000 yearly.

To continue toward our goals, acquiring additional storage, more collection points, and retaining more volunteers is necessary. At the beginning of Suits, the Illinois Professional Dry Cleaners and Launderers (IPDCL) donated their laundry services, estimated at about $180,000 in the first two years. Since then, we have paid IPDCL for their services. One hundred percent of cash donations to Suits for Success go to laundry services, warehousing, hangers, and transportation. No volunteers or Board Members receive any compensation for their work. As a 501(c)(3) organization, donations may be tax-deductible.

Will you help us with the gift of a donation, or volunteer to transport clothing?

Thank you,

Bill Denwood, Executive Director

Over 106,000
Items of Clothing
Delivered

Our Directors

Bill Denwood, Executive Director

Bill has been involved since 1988 with disaster recovery in the past 5 years he has gone to Brookport, IL; Henryville, IN; and with Katrina victims.  Locally, he has helped with Habitat for Humanity out of Aurora, IL.  To take his work to others Bill has worked in Danli, Honduras distributing water filtration systems and built a church.  In the Czech Republic, he taught  English as a second language(ESL).  He went to serve in Lotoiktok, Kenya to work at renovating housing and planting fruit trees to sustain Teule which is a home, school, and medical support for children ages 3-18.  He came back to the states and served on the USA board of Teule as president in charge of Teule fundraising in the United States.  Bill worked for many computer software companies in positions of sales, regional sales manager and vice president of sales.  Long years ago he went both to Cornell and Elmhurst Colleges earning a BA in business and economics.

Steve Hirmer, Treasurer

Steve Hirmer is the owner of Signature Cleaners of University Commons in Naperville and a founding partner in Chicago Wedding Dress Cleaners a gown cleaning and preservation company serving all of Chicagoland. Steve is one of the core founders at Suits for Success. Steve has served on several charity boards and is currently serving as treasurer of Suits for Success.

Tim Ford, Director

Tim Ford, DirectorTim Ford became involved with community service when he and his wife moved to Naperville in 1998.  In the early years, he was very active as a youth sports coach and helping to set up the UIC GILD which raised funds for gastrointestinal research. With over 38 years of private and public company business experience, he is currently an independent consultant and coach of strategic and financial planning and execution. Until 2016, he was president and a co-owner of Cook’s Direct, Inc., a leader in the commercial foodservice equipment and supplies market. Prior to this, he was the president and CEO of The Whitney Automotive Group, a direct marketer of automotive accessories and supplies. Tim has also held financial and operational leadership roles at Gander Mountain, Inc. and McMaster Carr Supply Company. He has served on several corporate and not-for-profit boards including Ride Assist Naperville.  He holds an MBA in accounting from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Arts in management from Western Illinois University.​

Ronnie Sarkar, Director

Ronnie Sarkar retired from RR Donnelley in 2018 after serving a 29-year tenure. He was fortunate to have the opportunity to serve many roles including technology, operations, and general management. Ronnie retired as a Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer having responsibilities for the Digital Content business and the R&D group. While at RRD, Ronnie served on the board of Bright Volt, a thin-film battery startup. Prior to joining RRD in 1989, Ronnie spent five years as a consultant with Arthur D. Little in Cambridge, MA. His work there centered around consumer electronics and digital imaging.

Ronnie emigrated to the USA from India in 1979 after completing his undergraduate studies in Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology. He completed his graduate studies at Rutgers University, NJ receiving his Ph.D. in 1984. His graduate work focused on the use of ultrasonic diagnostic and digital imaging technologies for fresh produce inspection. In 1995, Ronnie completed his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Currently, Ronnie volunteers his time distributing food, doing taxes, and serving families needing emergency help at Loaves and Fishes in Naperville, IL. In addition, he also helps Suits for Success with collecting and distributing suits and business clothes for the correctional facilities in Illinois and Wisconsin. Retirement has given Ronnie the luxury of indulging in his passions of bicycle riding, photography and travel. He and his spouse are blessed to have two wonderful children.

Steve Bailey, Director

Steve Bailey is an online marketing strategist and CEO at Strategic Online Corp. Steve also is a private consultant to various marketing agencies and branding companies. Strategic Online specializes in digital advertising, press releases, advanced SEO strategies, and e-commerce. Strategic Online is responsible for the development and oversight of the websites and marketing platforms for Suits for Success. Previously, Steve spent 20 years of his executive career directing the operations and development of telecommunications, networking, and data infrastructure for a Fortune 500 Health Insurance Company. Steve is a co-founder of Suits for Success. Steve serves on the board of several charities and enjoys working with several faith-based groups who serve the less fortunate. Steve can also be found exercising his favorite gift of mixing live worship bands for local churches.

Mike Beary, Advisor

Michael Beary joined JUST of Dupage as Executive Director in June 2018. Michael comes to JUST from the Diocese of Joliet where he served as Coordinator of Jail and Prison Ministry.

Some years ago, Michael felt God’s call to work with inmates. He started a consulting practice devoted to helping former inmates find work. He quickly learned that for those who have been behind bars for several years finding a job was very difficult. He began a series of classes in Entrepreneurship at Kennedy-King College and enlisted the help of retired executives (through SCORE) to lead these classes and to help consult with ex-offenders in helping them start their own businesses.

Since then, Michael has developed and implemented various programs for the Cook County Jail under Sheriff Tom Dart, the Illinois Department of Corrections and, the Wisconsin Community Correctional Services. He has designed various “social enterprises” including a recycling and salvage venture and, an alternative staffing agency. Michael has also been involved in the development and operations of homeless shelters both for emergency evacuation and chronic seasonal needs.

Michael has some 30 years of experience in running his own business ventures and completed an MBA program in entrepreneurship at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Our Contributors

Signature Cleaners in University Commons

Founder

Over 30 years providing drycleaning and laundry services with pick-up and delivery free to most of Chicago Area. Environmentally friendly cleaning methods.

Strategic Online Corporation

Founder

Strategic Online specializes in online marketing, web design, and marketing automation.

Chicago Wedding Dress Cleaners

Founder

Chicago Wedding Dress Cleaners is dedicated to pressing, cleaning, and preserving of bridal dresses and special occasion gowns. Offering free pickup and delivery throughout Chicagoland.

KC Cleaners and Leather Master, Inc

Drycleaner

Specialists in the business of wholesale specialty cleaning. Leather Master has routes servicing drycleaners in Illinois and Indiana.

Signature Cleaners in University Commons

Founder

Over 30 years providing drycleaning and laundry services with pick-up and delivery free to most of Chicago Area. Environmentally friendly cleaning methods.

Strategic Online Corporation

Founder

Strategic Online specializes in online marketing, web design, and marketing automation.

Chicago Wedding Dress Cleaners

Founder

Chicago Wedding Dress Cleaners is dedicated to pressing, cleaning, and preserving of bridal dresses and special occasion gowns. Offering free pickup and delivery throughout Chicagoland.

KC Cleaners and Leather Master, Inc

Drycleaner

Specialists in the business of wholesale specialty cleaning. Leather Master has routes servicing drycleaners in Illinois and Indiana.

Give Today – Help Us Change The Future For a Parolee

Your gifts help us cover our most basic operating costs like fuel for clothing delivery to prisons. 100% of your donation goes to the mission, no Volunteers or Board Members receive compensation. Suits for Success is a registered 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization

Suits for Success
A 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization
P.O. Box 5684
Woodridge, IL 60517

 

Our ambitious goal is to provide clothing appropriate for a job search.

 

The gift of a dress shirt, pants, nearly new casual shirt for men, or an outfit for women, can help create a better first impression in that first interview or first return home.