--- title: Ignite Her Future Gala description: Discover how the Ignite Her Future Gala raised $80,000 for Dress for Success Victoria, showcasing community support for women seeking employment and independence. image: https://dfsvic.org/hubfs/32.jpg --- [![](https://dfsvic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/DFS-Lockup-horizonal-3C_Victoria.jpg?width=300&height=166&name=DFS-Lockup-horizonal-3C_Victoria.jpg)](https://dfsvic.org/) - [GET SUPPORT](https://dfsvic.org/get-support) Show submenu for GET SUPPORT - [Who we help](https://dfsvic.org/get-support/who-we-help) - [Styling sessions](https://dfsvic.org/get-support/styling-sessions) - [Career support](https://dfsvic.org/get-support/career-support) - [Programs](https://dfsvic.org/get-support/programs) - [Regional Outreach](https://dfsvic.org/get-support/regional-outreach) - [PARTNER WITH US](https://dfsvic.org/partner-with-us) Show submenu for PARTNER WITH US - [Sponsorship opportunities](https://dfsvic.org/partner-with-us/sponsorship-opportunities) - [Workplace giving](https://dfsvic.org/partner-with-us/workplace-giving) - [Case studies](https://dfsvic.org/partner-with-us/case-studies) - [Get Involved](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved) Show submenu for Get Involved - [Donate](https://dfsvic.org/donate) - [Volunteer](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved/volunteer) - [Corporate Volunteering](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved/corporate-volunteering) - [Dress Circle](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved/dress-circle) - [Wear It Forward Shop](https://dfsvic.org/wear-it-forward) - [Referral agencies](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved/referral-agencies) - [EVENTS](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events) Show submenu for EVENTS - [Upcoming events](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/tag/event) - [Host an event](https://dfsvic.org/host-an-event) - [Gallery](https://dfsvic.org/gallery) - [Resources](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved/dress-circle) - [About Us](https://dfsvic.org/about) - [Contact](https://dfsvic.org/contact) - [GET SUPPORT](https://dfsvic.org/get-support) Show submenu for GET SUPPORT - [Who we help](https://dfsvic.org/get-support/who-we-help) - [Styling sessions](https://dfsvic.org/get-support/styling-sessions) - [Career support](https://dfsvic.org/get-support/career-support) - [Programs](https://dfsvic.org/get-support/programs) - [Regional Outreach](https://dfsvic.org/get-support/regional-outreach) - [PARTNER WITH US](https://dfsvic.org/partner-with-us) Show submenu for PARTNER WITH US - [Sponsorship opportunities](https://dfsvic.org/partner-with-us/sponsorship-opportunities) - [Workplace giving](https://dfsvic.org/partner-with-us/workplace-giving) - [Case studies](https://dfsvic.org/partner-with-us/case-studies) - [Get Involved](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved) Show submenu for Get Involved - [Donate](https://dfsvic.org/donate) - [Volunteer](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved/volunteer) - [Corporate Volunteering](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved/corporate-volunteering) - [Dress Circle](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved/dress-circle) - [Wear It Forward Shop](https://dfsvic.org/wear-it-forward) - [Referral agencies](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved/referral-agencies) - [EVENTS](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events) Show submenu for EVENTS - [Upcoming events](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/tag/event) - [Host an event](https://dfsvic.org/host-an-event) - [Gallery](https://dfsvic.org/gallery) - [Resources](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved/dress-circle) - [About Us](https://dfsvic.org/about) - [Contact](https://dfsvic.org/contact) [Donate](https://www.givenow.com.au/organisation/public/3472) Posted By: [Dress for Success](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/author/dress-for-success) Oct 28, 2026, 11:08:23 PM # Ignite Her Future Gala We know things are tight at the moment. Living costs continue to rise, housing costs are up and the latest ABS data shows one in four Australian households experienced some form of cash flow problem last year. You don’t need the statistics to tell you that though. You hear it in conversations with friends and family, and you see businesses making careful decisions about where they spend and what they support. Which makes it all the more heartwarming when people choose to give anyway. Our recent Ignite Her Future Gala was a pretty wonderful example of that. We had a room full of people who came together to support Dress for Success Victoria and the women we work with. Together we raised $80,000 in donations, which will help us continue to support women across Victoria as they take their next steps towards employment and financial independence. The result was incredible, but what really stayed with me was the warmth in the room. People wanted us to succeed. They bid generously, bought raffle tickets, donated, introduced us to people and asked what else they could do. There was a genuine feeling of people wanting to help. Six months into this role, I feel incredibly lucky to see that generosity up close. Our volunteers are an enormous part of it. They give hours of their time every week, sorting donations, styling clients, offering career advice, mentoring, organising and simply being there to welcome women through our doors. Then there are our philanthropic partners, corporate supporters and donors. Some provide vital funding. Others give their people’s time, professional expertise, clothing, connections or opportunities we simply wouldn’t have access to otherwise. It all counts. One of the things I’ve learned over these six months is how something relatively small to one person can mean an enormous amount to someone else. A jacket sitting unworn in one wardrobe can become the jacket someone wears to their first interview in years. An hour spent sharing career advice can help someone returning to the workforce work out where to begin. An introduction can open a door. A financial donation helps us reach another woman who needs some support getting back on her feet. And then there are moments of generosity that stop you in your tracks. At our Gala, we were fortunate to experience some of those too. We are incredibly grateful to Novita Diamonds, the Graham Family Trust, Wellcom and Melbourne Luxury Experiences, whose generosity helped make the evening possible and contributed to what we were able to raise. Their support represents something much bigger than one night. It represents a belief in the potential of women, including women rebuilding after significant challenges, returning to the workforce or simply needing someone in their corner as they work out what comes next. I think we can sometimes be a little shy about recognising people for doing good things. Generosity doesn’t need recognition to be meaningful, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate it. There is plenty that feels difficult in Australia at the moment, and plenty of reasons people could choose to pull back. Over my first six months at Dress for Success Victoria, I’ve seen the opposite too. People continuing to show up, contribute and ask how they can help. Our Gala was a beautiful reminder of just how strong that community is. So, at my six-month mark, this feels like a good opportunity to say thank you. To our volunteers, donors, philanthropic partners, corporate supporters and everyone who has welcomed me and supported Dress for Success Victoria, I’m enormously grateful. Most importantly, your generosity means another woman can walk through our doors and know that she doesn't have to take her next step alone. There is a whole community ready to back her. Share this article: - - - - - [mailto:?subject='https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/ignite-her-future-gala'](mailto:?subject='https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/ignite-her-future-gala') ## Read On [![](https://dfsvic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/32.jpg?width=352&name=32.jpg)](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/observations-and-what-dfs-can-do) ### [Observations and what DFS can do.](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/observations-and-what-dfs-can-do) The pace of the new year begins to soften, and there is a quiet opportunity to take stock of where... [![](https://dfsvic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/32.jpg?width=352&name=32.jpg)](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/ceo-message-why-this-role-and-why-now) ### [CEO MEssage: why this role and why now](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/ceo-message-why-this-role-and-why-now) As I step into the role of CEO at Dress for Success Victoria, I’ve been reflecting on why this... [![](https://dfsvic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/32.jpg?width=352&name=32.jpg)](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/beyond-the-pay-gap-addressing-australias-quiet-retirement-crisis) ### [Beyond the Pay Gap: Addressing Australia's Quiet Retirement Crisis](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/beyond-the-pay-gap-addressing-australias-quiet-retirement-crisis) Every year, we talk about the gender pay gap. Every year, we celebrate small improvements. And... ## Stay connected   Subscribe for updates on upcoming events, inspiring stories, and ways you can help empower women. ## GIVE CONFIDENCE [DONATE](https://www.givenow.com.au/organisation/public/3472) **Contact DFS Victoria** Shop 6, Station Street Mall Frankston, 3199 Australia 03 9770 0220  |  info@dfsvic.org   DFS Victoria office: Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm DFS Victoria styling: Monday to Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm. Saturday by appointment Wear It Forward Op Shop: Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm Donation drop offs: Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm **Quick Links** - [About Us](https://dfsvic.org/about) - [Get Support](https://dfsvic.org/get-support) - [Get Involved](https://dfsvic.org/get-involved) - [Partner With Us](https://dfsvic.org/partner-with-us) - [Events](https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events) - [Contact](https://dfsvic.org/contact) WITH RESPECT Dress for Success Victoria acknowledges the Bunurong/Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we gather and work, and pay our respect to their Elders past and present.  © 2026 Dress for Success Victoria. [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dressforsuccessvictoria/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/dressforsuccessvictoria) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/dress-for-success-victoria/) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Dress for Success", "url" : "https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/author/dress-for-success" }, "dateModified" : "2026-10-29T03:08:23.591Z", "datePublished" : "2026-10-29T03:08:23.000Z", "headline" : "Ignite Her Future Gala", "image" : [ "https://dfsvic.org/hubfs/32.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://dfsvic.org/news-and-events/ignite-her-future-gala", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://dfsvic.org/hubfs/DFS-Lockup-horizonal-3C_Victoria.jpg" } } } ```