‘Dress for Success Southwest Florida’ founder Barbara Dell remembered

Reporter: Morgan Rynor
Published: Updated:
Barbara Dell, founder of Dress for Success.

Friends and loved ones are remembering a woman who spent years helping other women find jobs.

There are many success stories thanks to Barbara Dell, founder of Dress for Success Southwest Florida.

The 66-year-old Dell recently lost her battle with cancer.

Five years ago Kara Bernier opened up a local newspaper and saw an ad for Dress for Success, a non-profit that provides women with professional clothing and helps them prepare for job interviews.

“It’s so scary getting into business because you don’t really know where to start,” Bernier said.

She says Dell helped shape her into the business owner she is today, “Barbara took a lot of time, and her husband took a lot of time with me. Especially when you’re young and wanting to start a business people don’t take you seriously. And Barbara took me seriously from the very start.”

Back in 2017, Dell told WINK News she wanted women to look good and feel good, saying, “To watch the women from the time they come in the very beginning the first week of that six week cohort to the last week when we have our graduation, and have our employers here. The transformation is amazing.”

Now Kara is a proud business owner, “We are a baking company who delivers deserts all over Southwest Florida.”

And she owes it all to Barbara Dell.

Dell understood the struggles many of the women she helped because she was laid off by her employer in the height of the 2008 recession.

Nickole Hendra is now the executive director and she hopes to keep Dell’s legacy alive, “The legacy is to make sure that every woman feels empowered and feels like they can make an impact at whatever they are trying to do.”

“Barbara had a positive attitude up until the day she retired in February of this year. She didn’t let everyone know of the reason, and we kept it very quiet for her and we let her go out on a high note. She had just won the apex award.”

An impact that Bernier exemplifies

There will be a celebration to honor Barbara Dell’s life on February 8. Trust WINK News to let you know when a location is announced.

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