Longtime CEO whose nonprofit helped 140,000+ get back on their feet, documented overcoming adversity and challenges, including devastating 2020 fire
IRVINE, CA– The Estate of Jerri Rosen is proud to announce the release of Skirts & Pants on Fire!, a posthumous memoir celebrating the extraordinary life and “gravitational pull” of the Working Wardrobes founder. The book provides an intimate, “behind-the-seams” look at the Orange County, California organization’s history, focusing on its ultimate test of resilience: the catastrophic four-alarm fire that destroyed its headquarters in February 2020. The book is currently available for purchase directly through the publisher, on Amazon and through the Working Wardrobes website.
“I don’t know if there’s any way to put into words a reaction when you see 30 years of your life and your labor and your love up in flames,” Jerri Rosen famously stated following the loss. “Now our job is to get back on our feet so we can serve our clients.”
The memoir, driven to the finish line by long-time friend Sam Dawson, serves as a love letter to the volunteers, staff, and Orange County community who helped Rosen rebuild the organization in just five short months, even as the global pandemic emerged to further challenge their mission.
Sam Quote
Skirts & Pants on Fire! is more than a retelling of a disaster; it is a guidebook for turning devastation into dignity. In keeping with Jerri’s lifelong commitment to the workforce, all proceeds from the book will go directly to Working Wardrobes to fund career development services for individuals overcoming barriers to employment.
Rosen passed away in 2025 and spent 35 years championing Working Wardrobes’ unforgettable mantra of “The Power of a Paycheck.” She grew a one-day event for 67 women into a movement that has now served over 140,000 clients.
The book is currently available for purchase directly through the publisher, on Amazon and through the Working Wardrobes website.
Jerri Rosen was a visionary leader and the founder of Working Wardrobes, an organization born from her marketing expertise and a profound desire to support survivors of domestic violence. What began in 1990 as a one-time “Day of Self-Esteem™” for 67 women blossomed under her leadership into a powerhouse nonprofit that has served over 140,000 clients, including veterans and young adults, through career development and professional wardrobing.
An entrepreneur at heart, Jerri integrated successful social enterprises into the mission and demonstrated unparalleled resilience by rebuilding the organization in just five months after a catastrophic four-alarm fire in 2020—all while navigating the global pandemic. After retiring in 2021 to a “rewired” life of executive coaching and community service, Jerri left behind a legacy defined by her “The Power of a Paycheck” philosophy and a lifetime dedicated to service, remarkable friendships, and joy.
Jeff Soto
KWSM: A Digital Marketing Agency
949-436-4836
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