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“Last night, it got really cold,” Rose King said, tracing the elaborate stitching on her jean jacket.
King shivered while she spoke, standing outside The Wardrobe in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties neighborhood on an overcast, damp and windy morning.
She had just arrived in the city from Thailand, saying she was now homeless after a falling-out with an older, wealthy companion. She said she owns no clothing appropriate for autumn in Philadelphia.
“Honestly, though, it’s the third-best place I’ve been homeless in. … You’ve got so many resources, places like this,” she said.
“I’m from Plattsburgh, [New York], originally,” she continued, pausing to laugh. “There’s nothing in upstate New York.”
King, who has experienced homelessness for years, was referred to The Wardrobe by CareerLink, Pennsylvania’s network of employment and training centers.
For more than 31 years, The Wardrobe has provided free professional clothing and other career services to people in need, including those experiencing homelessness or returning from incarceration.
The Wardrobe looks like a conventional clothing store, with display tables and clothing racks filling its modest retail space. Apparel is priced reasonably. It’s open to the public, but free shopping is for members only and requires an appointment. A membership allows someone to visit four times each year, with a six-item limit each visit.
Clients of The Wardrobe’s more than 200 community partners are automatically eligible. Others can contact the organization directly.
Sales cover little more than the rent, according to Program Director Mars Sharrock, with government grants and donations from individuals and foundations funding much of its work.
Once a quarter, the nonprofit holds an Open Wardrobe day, when appointments are not necessary.
King was one of more than 150 people who came to The Wardrobe on Wednesday in search of clothing that might help change their lives.
