Volunteer
You'll come to give. You'll stay for what you get back.
From styling appointments to mentoring sessions, our volunteers are the reason we can serve more than 2,500 women a year across Metro Vancouver. Find out how to be part of it.
Without them, we couldn’t do this work. Over 450 active volunteers showed up for our community last year. Every day, they style clients for job interviews, sort and steam donated clothing, lead workshops, provide mentorship, and keep the whole operation running, showing up for women and gender-diverse individuals who are preparing for their next chapter.
There’s a Role for Everyone
Stylists work one-on-one with clients during 75-minute appointment sessions, helping them choose clothing that works for their new opportunity. Sorters receive, assess, and organise the donated clothing that makes those appointments possible. Mentors meet monthly with Working Women’s Group members, offering professional guidance and accountability. Workshop Speakers are experts in their field, leading skill-building sessions for our clients. If facilitation, administration, or event support is more your style, we have those too.
Administration
Welcome and support clients by booking appointments, answering phones and email, ensuring smooth operations.
Stylist
75-minute client appointments. Interview and employment outfits.
Sorter
Sort and prepare clothing donations. Boutique maintenance.
Mentor
Monthly 1:1 with a WWG member. Professional guidance and support.
Workshop Speaker
Lead skill-building sessions.
Financial ed., job search, LinkedIn.
Community Building isn’t just for Our Clients
People volunteer here because supporting women in their own communities matters to them. Many of our volunteers have been with us for years because of the community they find when they show up. The connection that builds between volunteers, and between volunteers and the women they serve, is unlike anything else.
Volunteer Recognition
We recognise an outstanding volunteer every month. Once a year, we present two awards in memory of founding pillars of our community.
Deborah Twocock Award
The Deborah Twocock Award is named for Dress For Success Vancouver’s first Executive Director, who led the organization into a new era and introduced the Professional Women’s Group, career programming, and mentorship opportunities. It honours a volunteer who goes above and beyond and embodies our values of dignity, inclusion, and hope.
Lucia Crosson Award
The Lucia Crosson Award recognizes a new volunteer, and honours their exceptional contribution to the lives of our clients. This is a legacy award that commemorates the work and dedication of past founding staff member, Lucia Crosson.
Volunteer of the Month: April 2026
We are proud to recognize Masha Tkatchouk as our Volunteer of the Month for April.
“My connection to DFSV began with my own interview fitting in 2016, which was such a positive and empowering experience. Later, during a period of transition, I wanted to find something joyful and meaningful at a pace that worked for me. I realized how much I love sorting clothing, and DFSV immediately came to mind. Doing something I enjoy while helping women felt like the perfect fit.
After my very first volunteer shift, I was hooked. Volunteering has become a reward for me – a place where I find joy, purpose, and connection while making a difference.”
Thank you, Masha, for all that you do.
Volunteer of the Month: March 2026
We’re excited to spotlight Connie Laalo as our March Volunteer of the Month.
Since joining Dress for Success Vancouver at the start of 2025, Connie has quickly become an invaluable part of our community. As a Volunteer Stylist, she brings warmth, care, and connection to every appointment, helping clients feel confident, comfortable, and truly themselves.
For Connie, the most meaningful moments are simple and powerful: when a client looks in the mirror, smiles, and says, “I look like me.” In just 75 minutes, she creates an experience that leaves a lasting impact.
We are so grateful for Connie’s dedication, positivity, and the way she shows up for the clients we serve. Thank you, Connie, for all that you do.
Volunteer of the Month: February 2026
We are proud to recognize Lucy Schilling as our February Volunteer of the Month.
For more than a decade, Lucy has been a dedicated champion of Dress for Success Vancouver. From her early days on the gala committee to her leadership as a Board member, she continues to show up with generosity and purpose, including her ongoing support of the Success Luncheon.
Lucy is inspired by the powerful transformations that happen when women feel prepared and supported. Witnessing that shift toward confidence and possibility is what keeps her connected to this work.
We are grateful for Lucy’s ongoing commitment to creating space for women to grow, lead, and move forward with clarity and strength. Thank you, Lucy, for all that you do!
Volunteer of the Month: January 2026
Natalija knows that the right outfit can do more than look good, it can boost confidence and help women shine in interviews and new workplaces.
Volunteering with Dress for Success Vancouver is deeply meaningful to her. Natalija loves supporting clients during pivotal moments, helping them feel confident, valued, and ready to take on new opportunities.
With patience, empathy, and a keen eye for style, she helps each client find clothing that reflects their unique personality while lifting their confidence. She’s motivated by the chance to give back and inspired by the compassion of our team and fellow volunteers.
Thank you, Natalija, for bringing heart, style, and empowerment to every woman you support!
Volunteer of the Month: December 2025
We are thrilled to recognize Lucia as our Volunteer of the Month for December!
Since joining us as a Volunteer Stylist in May, Lucia has been a positive, reliable, and dedicated presence in our boutique. After retiring seven years ago, she sought meaningful ways to give back and now uses the skills from her 37-year public service career to empower women and gender-diverse individuals.
For Lucia, volunteering with us is important because it allows her to support others in gaining confidence, opportunity, and a sense of empowerment on their path to financial independence. Our mission aligns closely with her values, motivating her to share her time and expertise in a purposeful way.
She shares that volunteering has strengthened her appreciation for community and connection, and has enriched her own sense of purpose. Witnessing the impact of small acts of support has been both humbling and inspiring.
Lucia’s warmth, commitment, and passion truly embody the spirit of our mission.
Thank you, Lucia, for all that you do!
Volunteer of the Month: November 2025
We are proud to recognize our November Volunteer of the Month: Selena Woo.
As the Event Chair for the 2025 Success Luncheon and a valued workshop speaker, Selena has shared her leadership, care, and heart with our community.
For Selena, volunteering with Dress for Success Vancouver is personal. As a woman of colour and first-generation Canadian, she has seen how access, confidence, and community can break generational cycles, and she believes Dress for Success Vancouver creates those moments for the client we serve every day.
She is motivated by the pathways to financial independence and confidence that our programs create. Volunteering has also reminded her that impact is not only about resources, it’s about representation, encouragement, and standing with women as they rewrite their stories. Each connection strengthens her commitment to helping build a community where women and their children can thrive.
Thank you Selena for your generosity, leadership, and belief in this work. We are grateful for all that you do!
Volunteer of the Month: October 2025
We’re proud to recognize our October Volunteer of the Month: Shirley Lee
For Shirley, volunteering at Dress for Success Vancouver is about helping women and gender-diverse individuals see the best in themselves. After returning to Vancouver from Hong Kong in 2021, she donated 11 bags of her work clothes and soon joined as a Volunteer Stylist.
Shirley remembers her very first shift, when she helped a client who teared up seeing her reflection, saying she finally saw the “new me.” It’s a moment Shirley will never forget.
Since then, she’s styled clients from all walks of life, helping each one discover confidence in their own unique style. Volunteering keeps her connected to fashion, her community, and her daughters—who love that she gets to “play dress up” while making a difference.
Thank you, Shirley, for sharing your heart, creativity, and kindness with our community. We are so grateful to have you on our volunteer team!
Volunteer of the Month: September 2025
We’re proud to recognize our September Volunteer of the Month: Caprice Waterman
Over the past year, Caprice has shared her time and talents with DFS Vancouver in so many ways—from styling clients in our boutique to supporting our team with social media at events.
“Volunteering has given me a place to feel purposeful during a difficult transition, and a community of women lifting each other up. I’ve loved making clients feel safe, inspired, and confident while finding pieces that fit their professional journey.”
Caprice’s creativity and heart shine through in everything she does, whether piecing together the perfect outfit or growing her marketing portfolio alongside our team.
Thank you, Caprice, for bringing your skills, positivity, and passion to Dress for Success Vancouver. We’re so grateful for all you do!
Volunteer of the Month: August 2025
This month, we’re celebrating Monique Badun, who has been a dedicated Board Member of Dress for Success Vancouver since 2016. From the moment she learned about our grassroots beginnings and global network of like-minded volunteers, Monique knew this was the place she wanted to give her time and heart.
“I was hooked. This is exactly what I believed in: helping women help themselves,” she shares.
Throughout her tenure, Monique has witnessed firsthand the powerful ripple effects of our work: women stepping into employment, finding financial independence, and contributing to the strength of our local communities. She believes in the transformative impact of a steady job and income, and in the role Dress for Success Vancouver plays in making those opportunities possible.
As she prepares to complete her board term this fall, we’re so grateful for Monique’s years of service, leadership, and compassion.
Thank you, Monique, for helping women write their own success stories. Congratulations!
Volunteer of the Month: July 2025
We’re proud to celebrate Lily Gu, our Volunteer of the Month for July 2025! Lily joined Dress for Success Vancouver in 2022 through cohort #39 of the Professional Women’s Group and quickly became a committed mentor. Inspired by our mission and her passion for empowering women, Lily has supported four mentees with care and dedication. Each one has left a unique impression, and she’s felt honoured to witness their growth and self-discovery.
For Lily, the most meaningful part of volunteering is building lasting, authentic relationships. It’s been incredibly rewarding for her to see her mentees become more confident, hopeful, and ready to embrace what’s next.
Thank you, Lily, for being a vital part of our community and reminding us of the power of connection and support. Congratulations!
Scott Fletcher
Deborah Twocock Award Recipient
For nearly two decades, Scott has been a steady and powerful presence at Dress for Success Vancouver. After a 35-year career with BMO, she began volunteering with us in 2006 and has dedicated herself ever since to empowering women as a stylist and mentor – helping them build confidence, develop financial skills, and see themselves in a new light. In the boutique, her empathy and care create genuine moments of transformation where clients feel seen, valued, and uplifted. Scott’s commitment, warmth, and deep belief in women’s potential have left a lasting mark on our community, and her legacy lives on in every woman she has supported. Congratulations, Scott, on this truly well-deserved honour!
Josiane Bergeron
Lucia Crosson Award Recipient
Josiane first joined Dress for Success Vancouver as an Adler student completing her practicum, and has since become a dedicated and trusted volunteer. She brings professionalism and genuine care to every mentor session and WWG interview she supports – confidently facilitating sessions and generously sharing her expertise with those around her. Her outstanding commitment and reliability has made a lasting impact on our community, and we are so grateful to have her as part of our team. Congratulations, Josiane, on this well-deserved recognition!
Interested in Joining our Volunteer Community?
Thanks to our engaged community, our volunteer roster is currently full. Fill out the form below and we’ll contact you when orientations reopen.
Featured Article: Jenn Wint
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Group and Corporate Volunteering
Bring your team for a hands-on volunteer day.