ONE OUTFIT ∙ FIVE DAYS ∙ A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

Dress for Change (formerly known as the Little Black Dress Initiative) is an advocacy and fundraising campaign that seeks to illustrate the restrictions poverty places on choices, opportunities, and access to resources.   

The 7th annual Dress for Change week will be held April 20-24, 2026.  During this week, the Junior League of Topeka and community members who have signed up to be advocates will wear the same black dress or outfit for five consecutive days to illustrate the effects poverty can have on a woman’s access to resources, her confidence, and her health and wellness.  By wearing a button that reads, “Ask me about my outfit,” advocates will invite and welcome dialogue among colleagues, friends, and strangers to raise awareness about poverty and its impact on women’s health. 

Last year, the Junior League of Topeka’s Dress for Change campaign focused on our issue area of women’s health, which we believe is vitally important to the well-being of our community.   

2025 Dress for Change Advocates and volunteers

HOW CAN YOU HELP?  

1. Donate to the cause! Funds raised by the Dress for Change campaign directly support the mission and issue area of the Junior League of Topeka. Our goal this year is to raise $8,000 for 2026 – please help us reach our goal! 

Please visit https://givebutter.com/DFC2026 to make your donation.    

For offline donations, you can email dressforchange@jltopeka.org to get a donation form. Offline donations can be mailed to: 

              The Junior League of Topeka

              C/O: DFC, 5889 SW 29th St. 

              Topeka, KS 66614 

 2. Be an Advocate! Join the Junior League of Topeka in wearing the same black dress or outfit and an “Ask Me About my Outfit” button every day during the campaign week. Share your journey on social media and drive your followers to donate to help the Junior League of Topeka combat poverty in our community.   

            DFC Advocate Information Sheet and Timeline 2026 for more information!

  Members can sign up by registering for the Prepare to Be an Advocate info session on the Member Portal. Non-members can email dressforchange@jltopeka.org.

3. Become a Sponsor! DFC Sponsorship Packet 2026 to view our sponsorship packet and discover how your business can support Dress for Change as a corporate sponsor.

 4. Participate by sharing and supporting our social media posts to increase awareness! Follow Junior League of Topeka on Facebook and Instagram throughout the week of Dress for Change as we share statistics, stories, and local resources regarding women’s health in Shawnee County. 

The Junior League of Topeka extends our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible corporate sponsors for their generous support of the 2026 Dress for Change campaign. Your partnership is helping us raise critical awareness and funds to advance women’s health and address period poverty in our community. 

HOW WILL YOUR DONATION HELP?  

All funds raised directly support the mission and issue area of the Junior League of Topeka. This impacts and creates:  

• Funding for community partners, projects and programs
• Training opportunities and leadership development for members

 In addition, the Junior League of Topeka has established and collaborated with many organizations and projects that help support those affected by generational poverty and women’s health including:  

• CASA 

• Colgate Dental Van 

• Habitat for Humanity: Women Build 

• Kansas Action for Children 

• Project Topeka 

• Race Against Breast Cancer 

• The Diaper Depot 

• Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library 
• Topeka Rescue Mission 
• YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment