Rafilenny
During 2022, we provided in-person interview and job preparation services to over 1,056 disadvantaged New York City women, while a further 80 accessed these services remotely. Over the course of the year, 1,525 women participated in our self-sufficiency workshops.
55% of Bottomless Closet clients are now working. Rafilenny is one of these clients, working at her dream job alongside going to school to earn a Bachelor’s Degree: “I was in a shelter and needed help for a job interview. Bottomless Closet gave me a sense of self-worth, the confidence that I can do anything and the feeling that I was important and part of a community.”
Like many of our clients, Rafilenny’s journey has not always been a smooth one. She first came to Bottomless Closet in 2017 when she was 26 and living in a homeless shelter. Rafilenny needed help preparing for her job interview, but found so much more:
“Being in the shelter system is degrading. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but from the moment I walked into Bottomless Closet, I felt a sense of belonging. I felt that I was important, people took their time with me.”
The support and services Rafilenny received helped her to see her own potential and gave her the confidence boost she needed to enroll at Bronx Community College to embark on a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. With our help, Rafilenny also secured a position as a respite counselor for a local nonprofit to support herself while attending school.
“Bottomless Closet provided me with the confidence to thrive,” Rafilenny says. “I felt like I could do anything.”
When COVID hit, Rafilenny faced new challenges of job loss and isolation. Recognizing the need for community to help her get through, Rafilenny once again turned to Bottomless Closet, becoming a regular participant in our online workshops.
“Bottomless Closet’s workshops are amazing and inspiring,” Rafilenny says simply. While she took a variety of workshops, it was one focused on personal branding that Rafilenny credits with helping her land her dream job – a social media role for a New York City agency. Today, Rafilenny balances working in a job she loves with working towards her Bachelor’s Degree:
“I feel so positive about where my life is going! I am confident and adaptable to whatever changes are in front of me, finishing my college degree while working at a great job with the City of New York. I know I am going places!”
