When a woman is confident enough to start a new job knowing her hair is right and her makeup is just so, that's the final blessing Malaak Compton-Rock likes to bestow upon her clients on their first day at work. Many of Malaak's clients are reentering the workforce for the first time in years, having left the welfare system in search of new lives -- and hopefully new selves. "I want to give women that final touch, an appropriate appearance that presents no barriers while on the job," explains Malaak, who created styleWORKS in October 1999 to provide women with enough confidence in their appearance to help them succeed.

styleWORKS is a nonprofit organization Malaak founded as a support service for former welfare dependants who want to work but don't know how to present themselves at interviews or in office environments. "Self-esteem is very important for women coming off of welfare," says Malaak. "Our challenge at styleWORKS is to give specific advice and info on skincare, hair and makeup issues." To do so, Malaak and her team of volunteers meet one-on-one with each client for a 90-minute consultation. Initially, they discuss the kind of job culture the client is entering and suitable ways to dress for that particular environment.