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With the downturn in the economy, Jacquelyn Clark Johnson is busier than ever.

Johnson is executive director of Beauty 4 Ashes International . A local nonprofit founded by Johnson in 2003 , the organization’s purpose is to equip and empower disadvantaged women by providing image enhancement, professional attire, mentoring and career development skills to help them thrive in the marketplace and in their personal lives.

“I am helping even more women with resume preparation, honing their interviewing skills, networking, assistance with obtaining professional attire, just to name a few,” Johnson said.

Johnson was growing up in public housing in Augusta, Ga. , when her father became paralyzed in an accident. Her family received a large sum of money and was able to move to an upscale neighborhood. Johnson said she often wondered how things would have turned out if she had stayed in the projects.

“For me, the ending of the story was one that was favorable,” she said. “However, for others, their stories are quite different.”
These are the women Johnson strives to help.

It all began in 2002 , when Johnson said she felt God calling her to start a program to help women, and she contacted comedian Chris Rock’s wife, Malaak , after seeing her describe a similar program on the “Oprah Winfrey Show .” Malaak said she was not starting any more sister locations but encouraged Johnson to start her own organization.

“That started me on my journey,” Johnson said. “I started researching various organizations and opportunities across the country, as well as from my local area, and noticed that there were numerous programs that provided vocational training and job search assistance to disadvantaged women.”

She decided there was a need to assist women beyond job training.
“Beauty 4 Ashes Interna­tional’s niche is providing assistance to cover the 'total person,’ addressing both inner and outer beauty,” she said. “Beauty 4 Ashes is a great compliment to many established organizations in our area.”

Clients, referred to Beauty 4 Ashes International from local job-training centers and social service organizations, are offered complimentary make-over services and professional apparel coupled with a 12-month mentoring program.

The organization also sells job-training services, workshop facilitation, motivational speaking, coaching and development to local organizations and churches.

Johnson said her clients represent diverse backgrounds, from those who have been on welfare for six months to those who have been away from the workforce for five to 15 years or more.

“Our clients have struggled and triumphed over domestic abuse, mental abuse, homelessness, incarceration, a death of a loved one, drug addiction, divorce and lack of an education,” she said. Many are on their way to their first job interview. Beauty 4 Ashes partners with local salons, makeup artists and volunteers to accomplish their mission.

“Transforming someone’s personal style often causes their self-esteem to soar and inspires changes within,” Johnson said. “We are not just about hairstyles and makeovers; we are about hope and change.”

Johnson said she name for the organization came to her in a dream.
“God promises to give you beauty in exchange for your ashes,” she said. “We believe that you can have and experience beauty in a place of hardship and pain; you just have to take ownership and make the exchange.”

In April, Beauty 4 Ashes partnered with a local agency to provide 23 women and 10 men with a day of personal pampering services.

Graduates of career training classes taught by volunteers and board members, the women and men received a new hairstyle or haircut, makeup and skin care application or grooming services and a professional business suit. Johnson plans to offer another makeover event in October and launch a mentoring program in September.
She also hopes to expand nationally.

“To find gainful employment, our clients have to project the right image, and we believe this is a transformational process,” Johnson said. “They need someone to show them the way — not enable them but partner with them to teach and show them new things beyond the world they live in.”

Contact Jennifer Atkins Brown at 574-5582 or jennifer.brown @news-record.com.