Metro Philadelphia

More than 375 people experiencing housing insecurity in Philadelphia have received free clothing in just a few weeks through a new partnership between The Wardrobe and Broad Street Love — an effort organizers say is already outpacing supply and urgently needs public donations to keep up.

The initiative, supported by a transformational grant from the Sarah Ralston Foundation, allows guests at Broad Street Love to receive free casual clothing from The Wardrobe after their meal service.

Organizers said demand has been immediate since the program launched, with hundreds of guests outfitted in a short period of time.

Now, they are calling on the public to donate casual men’s and women’s clothing, including T-shirts, athletic pants, shoes, accessories and new undergarments, to help meet ongoing need. Donations can be dropped off at The Wardrobe, 413 N. 4th Street, Monday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Sheri Cole, executive director of The Wardrobe, said the Broad Street Love site differs from the organization’s other locations, which typically focus on professional or job-readiness clothing.

“But unlike our other sites, most guests just need casual clothing and we are running out, especially for our male guests,” she said. “We are asking the public to stand up — like they always do — and donate these items so we can keep our new location fully stocked.”  

Broad Street Love Chief Program Officer Dianne Johnson said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to dignity and respect.

“At Broad Street, each person is treated as a guest with personal food service and now we are able to ensure that guests have the same attention drawn to their clothing needs,” she said. 

The collaboration began during the COVID-19 pandemic after the organizations met through a program sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Broad Street Love faced challenges sourcing and storing clothing for its small closet, while The Wardrobe was seeing increased demand for casual clothing.

Although the idea was developed several years ago, funding delays stalled implementation until support from the Sarah Ralston Foundation allowed the organizations to launch a pilot program. The site currently operates two days a week, and organizers are seeking additional funding to expand service.

Donations and services 

Donations are accepted at all Wardrobe locations, including 4th and Callowhill in Philadelphia, Upper Darby, Kennett Square, and Norristown, but organizers noted that clothing donors should not drop off donations at Broad Street Love. Anything labeled “Broad Street Love” will be prioritised for that location.

The Wardrobe at Broad Street Love operates during lunch service on Thursdays and Fridays, with advance sign-ups available on Wednesdays. Individuals in need of clothing assistance are encouraged to contact The Wardrobe for referral to the appropriate location.

Broad Street Love provides meals and support services for people experiencing deep poverty, including mail access, personal care items and case management, from its Center City location. More information is available at broadstreetlove.org.

The Wardrobe, which operates six locations across the Philadelphia region, has worked for more than 30 years to address clothing insecurity and support workforce readiness. The organization serves about 10,000 people annually. More information is available at wardrobepa.org.

MORE: Philadelphia summer meals program aims to serve 1 million free meals

 

Keywords

The Wardrobe,

Broad Street Love,

Philadelphia clothing donations,

clothing insecurity,

homelessness Philadelphia,

Center City,

nonprofit partnership,

Sarah Ralston Foundation,

Philadelphia nonprofits,

community support