Emmi Saufley builds inclusive fashion through Runway For A Cause

Emmi Saufley, an Elmira, New York nonprofit founder and entrepreneur, has spent seven years using fashion, mentorship and community events to build confidence and raise money for charitable causes. Her work through Runway For A Cause and Lake & Associates centers on inclusive participation, volunteer-led service and broader access to the fashion industry.

Why it matters: - Emmi Saufley’s work shows how fashion can be used as a tool for confidence-building, fundraising and community engagement. - Runway For A Cause is designed to make fashion more inclusive for people of different heights, sizes, backgrounds, identities and life experiences. - The organization has supported charitable initiatives locally and globally while giving participants a public platform to feel seen and valued.

What happened: - Emmi Saufley, an Elmira, New York native, founded Runway For A Cause seven years ago. - Saufley built the nonprofit after being told at age 5-foot-tall that she was too short for many fashion-industry opportunities. - Runway For A Cause combines annual fashion shows with community-driven events to raise funds for nonprofit organizations. - Saufley also owns Lake & Associates, LLC, a business focused on styling, image development, event planning and mentorship. - She serves on boards focused on youth initiatives.

The details: - Saufley grew up in the hometown of fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, and that connection helped shape her belief that someone from Elmira could succeed in fashion. - Her early training included a BOCES fashion design program, where she studied sewing, garment construction and design. - Mentorships and internships in the fashion industry expanded her technical skills and creative experience. - Runway For A Cause has operated entirely through fundraising over the past seven years and has not received grant funding. - The organization is volunteer-run, and neither Saufley nor her team members are compensated. - Lake & Associates helps individuals and organizations strengthen their personal brands and step into new opportunities.

Between the lines: - Saufley’s story reflects a broader push in fashion away from narrow beauty standards and toward representation. - Her leadership model leans on authenticity, community and the idea that people grow when they are given space to show up as themselves. - The lack of grant support and paid staff highlights the operational strain many small nonprofits face, even when their mission has clear public value. - Saufley’s emphasis on volunteerism suggests the organization depends on shared values as much as financial resources. - Her advice to young women in fashion is to lead with authenticity rather than chase outdated expectations.

What’s next: - Saufley plans to keep using Runway For A Cause and Lake & Associates to expand opportunities for confidence-building and mentorship. - She wants to keep challenging fashion norms and pushing for an industry that is more welcoming to people of all shapes, sizes, identities and backgrounds. - The organization will continue relying on fundraising and volunteers unless new financial support emerges. - Her broader focus remains on helping young people find voice, purpose and direction through community leadership.

The bottom line: - Saufley is turning fashion into a platform for inclusion, service and personal transformation, with Runway For A Cause at the center of that mission.

Learn More about Emmi Saufley:

Emmi Saufley’s Influential Women profile or Runway For A Cause team profile