Sharia’s Closet is a nonprofit organization providing free clothing to those who are experiencing financial hardships or are in crisis, reports NBC 7’s M.G. Perez
Red flag warnings and wildfires across San Diego County this week have left many people feeling anxious and vulnerable, especially families who found themselves in crisis situations in the past.
Sharia's Closet is a nonprofit organization in the College Area that converted a former dental office into a clothing clearinghouse. Just a week ago, two truckloads of clothing donations were sent to Los Angeles and the fire victims who lost everything.
The helping hand is extended primarily to local families from marginalized communities living at the poverty level or who are a paycheck away from homelessness.
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Volunteers come each week to prepare and fill what they call Bags of Hope. The purple bags include coordinated outfits and accessories appropriate for the person who needs them. There has been an increase in people wanting to help organize donations because of the recent wildfires.
“They just came in, or they called or ended up on our website," said Shamine Linton, founder and CEO of Sharia’s Closet who named the organization after her daughter. They just say, 'How can I help this organization? I know what you guys do, and this is where I want to spend my hours or my day helping in service.' "
There are separate rooms at Sharia's Closet for clothing catering to men, women and children.
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People are helped through direct referrals from a network of schools and service agencies. Many of them are not able to access support services elsewhere.
"I made a difference in somebody's life," said Lacy Henderson, who is Sharia's donation processing coordinator. "Every piece of clothing I touch is going on somebody's back."
Henderson originally found her way to Sharia's as a client who needed support when she hit rock bottom and decided to get clean and recover from her addictions. Now, in turn, she helps others when their lives are in crisis.
Those people include many victims of last January's flash floods that devastated so many San Diego neighborhoods.
I made a difference in somebody's life. Every piece of clothing I touch is going on somebody's back.
Lacy Henderson, donation processing coordinator at Sharia's Closet
“The clients would come in and be like, ‘I lost everything. Will you help me?' ” Henderson said. "So, we gathered things [for them]. We also gathered things to take to where the floods were actually happening. People are still coming in today who are victims of the floods, and we still help those people today."
Donations can be dropped off at four locations around the county, including the newest in Chula Vista, which opened last week. Volunteers are needed there, too.
Sharia's Closet is more than a storage space. It also creates a community for neighbors who might not otherwise have met.
Tatiana Palma and her five children needed assistance, this month. She's on maternity leave from her job and without an income at the moment.
"They gave us diapers, clothes and even some toys," Palma said through a translator. "I am so grateful and say many thanks."
Davide Berti, 14, and his friend Jacob Cooper, 15, are high school freshmen who volunteered and sorted some of the clothing the Palma family took home with them.
"You got to see their name, kind of what they like [and] their personality," Berti said. “It kind of makes it a special moment. I’m a little bit attached to them.”
“These days, especially with our generation, it’s kind of rare to give back to the community," Cooper said. "I feel it’s important to strongly advocate and help make a differenc."
