Sharia’s Closet is a local nonprofit that provides free emergency clothing to San Diegans who are struggling with clothing insecurity. Its humble beginning was when founder and CEO Shamine Linton began helping her neighbors in need of clothing on her home patio. Since 2013, Sharia’s Closet has grown to four service locations partnering with more than 270 agencies in the region and has helped more than 60,000 people. Sharia’s Closet recently opened its fourth location in Downtown Chula Vista.
Linton, originally from Jamaica now lives in National City and said since she was a child she has had a dream to create a closet that would provide for the less fortunate.
“That is providing basic essentials,” she said. “Clothing, hygiene products, diapers, wipes, new underwear and socks for anyone who may need it. We started on the patio of our home in 2013, and it just built from there. It took resilience, consistency, dedication, and staying true to your purpose and the dream that you have.”
Linton said now it has grown with four locations as being partners with other agencies that provide wraparound services to individuals in the community.
“One partner in particular is the Family Justice Center through the District Attorney’s Office, and they have two locations. One is San Marcos and one in downtown San Diego,” she said. “The Family Justice Center primarily works with survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, rape, molestation, sex trafficking, elderly abuse, and hate crime.”
Linton said another partner is Episcopal Community Services located in Chula Vista off Third Avenue and F Street.
“We have been there for the past six to seven months. We just held our grand opening on Jan. 22, and that was well attended by the Chula Vista community. Having Mayor John McCann there, we received proclamations from the County Health & Human Services, a certificate or recognition from the City of Chula Vista and the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce, so we were well received. Partnering with Arya Cleaners in Chula Vista, they graciously offered their support to us as a drop-off donation site. Every article of clothing that is dropped off at their cleaners, they will clean it, and then bring it to Sharia’s Closet, which I think is so impactful that you have a community that sees the value of uplifting others with dignity and respect, and helping bring confidence and self-esteem to those who may not have the financial resources to walk into a thrift store, Wal-Mart or Macy’s, or other department store to buy items that they need to help them show up as their best self in society. It is really humbling to find community partners like the ones that we have that really pour back into Sharia’s Closet, helping us pour back into communities in need.”
Linton said the organization faces challenges sometimes. Getting men’s casual clothes as well as children.
“Kids run out of clothes so fast and outgrow their clothes, so it is challenging at times to get those items that are needed, as well as hygiene products,” she said.
Linton said just seeing the growth from her patio to now, expanding to four spaces in the county, is humbling.
“Sometimes I have to pinch myself that this is real. That this little girl from Jamaica coming here and being blessed to just walk in her purpose and do what her heart desires, which is to give service to others in a selfless and dignified way. I just think it is a beautiful thing. It is hard to articulate what that feeling is when you get someone excited about a pair socks, or someone who is down on their luck and do not have hygiene products…Being able to be boots on the ground and see that transformation of kindness and empathy in action is really priceless to see that, and be a part of that, and see those tears of gratitude and hope restored. All the things that come with building someone up with dignity and allowing them to be seen in a way that they want to be seen,” she said.
“We go to hospitals, schools, reentry programs, probation, going to court. If you do not have the right attire to show up, we actually help those individuals. If you have a job, we give seven to 10 outfits, so they have a week’s worth of clothes in our signature purple bags which we call our Bags of Hope,” she said.
Linton said in working with other agencies, they allow the agency that refers clients to pick up the items in need, providing items with intention, and keeping individuals in need in mind, so they are comfortable with the process. She said with four locations they try to have drop-off sites for the safety and privacy of its clients. Everything collected goes to the College Area headquarters location and is distributed from there depending on need.
“Unfortunately, we live in a society that we have to teach people how to care for others. Because if you are not directly affected by clothing insecurities, oftentimes people do not think about the process of donations,” she said.
Linton said she cofounded the organization with her husband and named it after their daughter Sharia.
“Naming it after our daughter is personal to me because at one point my doctor said I could not have any more kids, and I almost lost my daughter when she was five and we were at Children’s Hospital and all I had was hope. She pulled through. After that, I made a promise that I would never stop doing what I am doing because I am so blessed to be a mom for a second time.”
