Outreach Ministries: Clothing Closet

There are two types of clothing closets your church can provide. The first is a general collection of clothes made open to the homeless population. This is probably the easiest option for new outreach programs, as it requires very little supervision. The second is a professional clothing closet. These are geared towards getting homeless people back into the workforce and require significantly more planning and supervision. Read the below requirements and decide which version is right for you.

Basic Clothing Closet:

1. Conduct a board meeting to discuss the feasibility of such a project.

• Do you currently have the manpower and finances to start such a project?
• Are there currently similar projects being run in the area you could copy?
• Who will have final decision-making power in project decisions? Who will be in charge of organizing volunteers?

2. Make an announcement to the congregation asking for volunteers.

3. Set up a brainstorming session for staff and volunteers to generate ideas for project procedure.

• How will clothing be collected and distributed?
• When and where will the closet be open to the public?
• Decide on a volunteer schedule for each person involved.

Collect the clothes! Ask for donations from friends and neighbors. Go home and clean out your closets. Make up fliers and put them in general gathering places around town, such as the library, supermarket, and anywhere else that will let you. Make sure they specify when and where you will accept donations, and if there are any restrictions (no used undergarments is a common one).

Once you have a sufficient collection, it is time to begin sorting. Sort into men’s, women’s, and children’s piles first. Then, sort each pile according to size and garment type. Look over each item carefully and ask this question: “Would anyone really wear this”? Throw out pieces that have large stains or are falling apart. Keep your target audience in mind. Is a homeless person really going to need a prom dress from the eighties?

Next, it’s time to establish what needs to be cleaned before donation. Most things will probably be in pretty good shape when you receive them, and will not need cleaning. However, if some items were in storage for a long time, they may have a strong musty odor. You will want to give these a rinse, along with any items that are visibly dirty. Make sure wherever you store the clothes is clean and dry, or you will undo all of your hard work.

You have the clothes, now it’s time to find the people. Make up fliers detailing when and where your closet will be open to the public and distribute them in places likely to attract the homeless population.

This includes places such as:

• Public Libraries
• YMCA’s
• Soup Kitchens
• Homeless Shelters
• Public Parks
• Etc

Now you’re ready for the public opening of your closet. Here are some additional tips to consider:

4. If your church has a soup kitchen or Feed the Homeless night, try making your closet available on the same day. It’s more convenient for everyone involved.

5. Change the initiative to collecting jackets during the cold months.

6. If the funds are available, you might consider offering toiletry kits along with the clothes (toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, comb)

Professional Clothing Closet

A professional clothing closet is set up much like a regular closet, but with some additional considerations.

• Professional clothes may be harder to collect. You may end up taking some funds and purchasing some from the local Salvation Army.
• Will you require proof of a job application before providing someone with clothes?
• Will special incentives be made to reward those that end with a successful interview?

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