How To Find Free Clothing Banks And Closets Near Me

Looking for ways to get free clothes for you and your kids – you’ll be surprised at how many places can help you. There are several options if you’re on a low income and can’t afford those essential pieces of clothing. Life can feel hopeless and daunting when your budget is stretched to its limit, but you still need to clothe your family. We’ve put together a useful list of places where you can find free clothing banks near you.

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Key Takeaways

• Local churches and ministries are often better for getting community help.
• Larger ministry organizations can even offer ‘free stores’ that are available to those in need.
• Many charities run specialized clothing resources such as winter coats or children’s pajamas, so searching for exact matches can put you in touch with the right people.
• Some local charities help job seekers by providing suitable attire and interview support.
• Homeless shelters often provide facilities to help struggling people meet their basic needs, including shelter, support, and clothing.
• Food pantries are another option to check for free clothes – they may provide these or list links to local services.

How To Find Free Clothing Banks And Closets Near Me

Finding free clothes is a little more complicated than finding low-cost clothing, but it can be done. Often these free services are listed on a more grass-roots level and can be contacted via local charity and aid services in your town. Approach your local churches and homeless shelters to see if they have clothing banks or closets.

Many charities run small or large thrift stores where clothes will cost a fraction of the price, so it is also worth looking for bargains on their racks, especially regarding children’s clothes and shoes. Food pantries and church missions also sometimes have donations they can share with those in need, including clothing and diapers.

It’s worth looking at drop-off points, as sometimes people leave full bags of clothing outside the drop-off bins, and there may be clothing, towels, and bedding that you can use. Also, check freebie sections in local newspapers, Facebook marketplace, and other local advertisers. We’ve listed a few of the bigger charity and mission organizations across the States.

1. Local Churches

Many churches organize clothing drives to give away free clothing to those in need in their community. This clothing collection and redistribution might be done on a small, local scale or be part of a nationwide drive. Approach your local churches and speak to the pastors or priests to let them know your situation.

As part of their ministry, churches and other ministries believe they must help care for those suffering or struggling. Part of this is helping ensure that no one in the immediate community goes without basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing.

2. Ministry Free Store

On a larger scale, some church organizations can collect enough donated clothing and household goods that they can run a ‘free store.’ These stores are usually available via appointment and are limited visits – for example, a family may only be able to use the free store once every 30 days.

These free stores and assistance programs are usually run by large church groups or ministries and serve a larger area than a small, local church. Some examples of free stores are the Crisis Assistance Ministry in Mecklenberg County and the Hope Church in St. Louis. You can find local ministries by searching for ‘free store church’ in your area.

3. The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is well-known for providing assistance and shelter for those in need. This assistance also includes clothing they will give free to community members experiencing homelessness.

You can find your local Salvation Army and enquire if they have free clothing available. The Way In Salvation Army in Los Angeles works with shelter programs and area agencies to help the homeless youth of Hollywood but also offers community services such as free clothing from their donations.

4. One Voice Family Assistance Programs

Family Assistance programs run by charities such as One Voice in Los Angeles help provide emergency support for people living on low-to-no income. Their help stops families from becoming homeless by providing them with what they need before the problems become insurmountable.

They take in furniture, household goods, and clothing donations, which they can provide to struggling families. By reusing donated goods in the community, they can help people struggling with the effects of poverty.

5. St. Anthony’s Free Clothing Program

Based in San Franciso, St. Anthony’s runs the most extensive free clothing program in the area and provides new and used clothing for community members struggling with poverty and homelessness.

St. Anthony’s is a religious community center that provides daily meals, a medical clinic, and an addiction recovery program. They originally began as a dining room for the homeless. Still, They soon realized how much more the community needed and grew their outreach to help 1000s of San Franciscans who needed assistance.

6. Dress for Success Houston and Oregon

Dress for Success Houston is a female-led charity that aims to empower women trying to get back into the workforce. They assist women with preparing for interviews, dressing for job searches and interviews, and helping them prepare for their new job with new professional work wear.

They focus on providing women who are post-9/11 veterans or seeking work with clothing that will look good and help them appear professional and presentable. While you might be able to afford cheaper clothing, you want to look your absolute best in job interviews.

Professional attire costs are very high, and places like Dress for Success in Oregon can make a huge difference.

7. The Women’s Alliance

Like Dress for Success, the Women’s Alliance is part of a career development non-profit that works to guide and grow organizations that empower women to enter the workforce.

They distribute donated clothing to women looking to dress for their best chance of success in interviews and new jobs until they can get on their feet. They have several shops across the states, and you can find a list of these and request more information by contacting their managers or checking their websites.

8. Jackets for Jobs

Like the previous two groups, Jackets For Jobs helps people to dress appropriately for work and ensures they have the proper clothing for interviews and a new job.

In this case, Jackets For Jobs helps men, women, and teens to get suitable workwear and dress professionally. They are located in Detroit, providing skills training, employment etiquette, and professional clothing to those seeking work.

9. Soles4Souls

Soles4Souls works with non-profit organizations to provide shoes and clothing for people living in poverty worldwide. They believe that getting shoes to people across the US will help them by providing a basic need that people often forget about. They work with veteran’s organizations, Women’s shelters, and children’s programs.

While they prioritize giving shoes to organizations, they will also respond to requests for shoes from individuals. Fill In their online request form, showing your area and requirements, and send them a message.

10. Harrison House of Hope

Located in Boone County, Arkansas, The Harrison House of Hope Mission is a center for homeless people that provides a day-time center for support and covers basic needs. They help the homeless with emergency assistance and assist with acquiring identification, employment, and housing.

They provide restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities and have free clothing for the homeless. They can also help you with information regarding other service providers you may need.

11. Mustard Seed Community Assistance Office

If you are in Twin Falls, Idaho, look at what help Mustard Seed Ministries can offer. While various Twin Falls community groups will send people their way via referral, they also accept walk-ins.

They offer food boxes, hot lunches, and diapers to those in need but also run a low-cost thrift store that has clothing available. Consult with their counselors to see what they can offer you regarding material and financial assistance.

12. The Cinderella Project

A glitzy prom dress on their big night out might be many teenagers’ dream, but it becomes a nightmare if you can’t afford a prom dress. Groups like the Girl’s Scouts Heart of Michigan run prom dress donation campaigns to provide low-income teenagers with beautiful dresses for their prom.

Look into The Cinderella Project of Kalamazoo to make an appointment for one of their prom dress giveaway events. Space for these is limited, so you will need to book as they do not accept walk-ins.

13. The Princess Project

Another charity organization in Santa Clara aims to help less-privileged teens find their dream prom dress. The Princess Project has PPSV giveaways featuring thousands of stunning gowns and dresses for a beautiful prom experience.

Teens can sign up at their site for an appointment, and by following them on social media, you can keep up to date with other giveaways for homecomings and proms throughout the year.

14. Vietnam Veterans of America

The Vietnam Veterans of America is a group supporting Vietnam veterans in many ways, including with legal issues, health problems, PTSD and substance abuse, and claims assistance, among other things.

They also have an outreach program for homeless veterans that will shelter them, assistance. Their primary focus is short-term ‘Stand Down‘ events throughout the year, where they launch a 3-day, 2-night event that gives homeless veterans a chance to get medical exams, a safe place to sleep, food, and clean clothes.

15. Spreading Seeds

Spreading Seeds is a non-profit that offers assistance to all lower-income community members and does not discriminate based on gender, race, or sexual orientation. Their services are available to anyone with an annual income of under $20,500, and they will need income verifications.

They offer a clothing bank in Wilson, North Carolina, to people who qualify, serving individuals and families, and the bank provides clothing, accessories, and personal hygiene items. They also offer the following in the Eastern North Carolina region: food banks, emergency food assistance, and household banks.

16. Free Clothing Resources

Look to community ads sites such as Freecycle, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace for listing free clothes. Several people offer their unwanted goods free for collection, including bags of adult, teen, and children’s clothes.

Related Questions

Where Can I Donate Winter Coats?

If you have experienced a change in luck and have clothing such as winter coats to donate, it’s best to donate them to a reputable charity to ensure your clothes go to people in need rather than a landfill. Look to charities such as Salvation Army, One Warm Coat, and Operation Warmth.

If you know of shelters and food pantries in your area, they will often have a list of items they need to be donated, as they know exactly what the people in the community need.

What Happens To The Clothes I Donate?

While some donated clothing is given freely to people in need, a lot of it is repurposed for retail to raise funds, while the clothes that are not in good condition are repurposed as insulation or dumped in landfills, or burned.

If you want to be sure your decent, lightly-worn clothing goes to the people who need it most, it is worth approaching food banks and homeless centers to ask if they need donations.

Biggest Thrift Stores For Cheap Clothing Near Me

If you cannot find free clothing nearby, it is worth looking through the rails at the larger thrift stores—Community Aid Thrift Stores stock many clothes, accessories, and small goods at reasonable prices. Several of these are linked to a Care Card Program that allows people who qualify for a card to shop there for free.