HOUSTON — After retiring from 16 years in the Air Force, LaGaydra Murphy had an entire career behind her when she found herself starting over from scratch.
“It was almost like a culture shock, you know. Trying to find what I like to do, what my passion is," Murphy said.
Like so many other female veterans, Murphy needed a little help writing her next chapter.
“Going from being a technical sergeant where I was in charge of 20 to 30 people at a time, to OK, now what do I do?” Murphy said. “We’re part of the civilian world now, and we have to fit in.”
Fast forward to today. What she does now through Dress for Success Houston is help veterans, like herself, find their new place in the world after selflessly serving our country.
“My success and my failures are part of my story to motivate and help everyone else," Murphy said.
Under their Women’s Veteran Program, Dress for Success Houston has helped more than 1,400 female veterans since 2014.
“It was how can we be there and look at being a guiding light for our women veterans.” Dress for Success Houston President Lauren Levicki Courville said.
And today, they help beyond the business apparel. They help search for work, craft resumes and prepare women for interviews. And even after the job is won, monthly workshops and resources help create a lasting community.
“You can continue to grow and develop your future in however you define success," Courville said.
If you’re a female veteran looking for a helping hand, call LaGaydra at Dress for Success Houston at (713) 337-0877. You can also visit their website.