Give Me A Chance recognized as 'Best of Ogden'

Friday, Jun. 10, 2022

OGDEN — De Marillac Formal Attire, which is part of the Give Me A Chance ministry run by the Daughters of Charity, was recognized with the 2022 Best of Ogden award, in the Non-Profit Organization category. The recognition was given by the Ogden Award Program.

De Marillac Formal Attire, named after the co-founder of the Daughters of Charity, Louise de Marillac, provides handmade formal wear for events such as weddings, quinceañeras, First Communions and baptisms. They also do alterations.

In addition, the shop offers women training in retail areas such as customer service, merchandising, marketing and cash register skills.

Women from all walks of life and various cultures work at the shop, which is open four days a week.

“We are grateful to the community for thinking of us and our mission,” said Daughter of Charity Sr. Martha Garcia, executive director of Give Me A Chance, about receiving the award.

Lydia Burdick, one of the women who works at De Marillac Formal Attire, said she was very happy and humbled when she heard the store had won the award.

“It’s a good feeling to know that we are doing a good job and people appreciate it,” said Burdick, who does sewing and alterations to the shop, located at 2620 E. Washington Blvd., Ogden.

“Sewing brings joy to my life,” she said, adding that the more people come into the shop and “the more people we serve, the happier that I feel.”

The award “was a great honor for us. We are a great community here,” Sr. Martha said.  “It is like an honor for all of us.” 

Everyone at Give MeA Chance is proud of the work done at De Marillac Formal Wear, she said. “They have a wonderful community of women who know how to sew and alter, how to take care of customer service; they are really on top of everything.”

Each year, the Ogden Award Program honors the “achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value,” states the awards program site.

The companies and organizations that the Ogden Award Program recognizes “enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community,” the site reads.

The winners are determined based on the information gathered by the Ogden Award Program itself as well as data provided by third parties such as community members and other organizations.

In addition to the Best of Ogden award, Give Me A Chance recently received some different grants that helped them acquire new sewing machines and a new cutting table.

“We were able to enrich our store there with new materials and equipment because the ones we had were getting pretty old,” Sr. Martha said.