Founded by Shamine Linton in 2006, Sharia’s Closet provides free, emergency clothing to those experiencing financial hardship or crisis. The idea first began after Linton first immigrated to the US. Along with her family, she began taking clothes, food, and household items back to Jamaica twice a year to help her friends and family.
Linton was inspired by her own experiences during her childhood, and the resilience of her mother—a teenage mom who worked hard to become a nurse in New York.
“I had clothing insecurities growing up, and I felt less than in different settings—even immigrating to America and going to high school here. As a teenager, fashion trends become a status symbol, and kids can sometimes be so insensitive,” says Linton. “I wanted to create a space where people were seen without having the price tag attached if there were a crisis situation.”
When she first began collecting clothing, set up a closet on her patio, but quickly ran out of space and moved her operation into a local church. Shortly after, she moved into the location it’s in today, inside a renovated medical office in the College Area. She named it Sharia’s Closet, in honor of her daughter. Today it has provided more than 76,600 individuals with clothing assistance.
Today, Sharia’s Closet partners with more than 200 social services agencies, including a handful that E. One such partnership is with family justice centers that primarily focuses on survivors of crimes, like trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse, says Linton. Many survivors escape with just the clothes on their backs and then have to turn over their clothing to authorities for forensic examination.
“When you have to turn everything that you are wearing over for examination, we are there to clothe you—give you the leggings, sweatpants, new underwear, socks, the things that are essential to your transition,” she says. “Some of our clients have never been in a courtroom, so when they get ready to go to court, we have our volunteer stylists help pick out that court attire.”
Courtesy of Sharia’s Closet
Along with outfitting those in need, the nonprofit offers a personal shopping experience and “bags of hope”—clothing chosen for individuals based on their needs and personal preferences.
Sharia’s Closet also accepts walk-in clients on Wednesdays at its El Cajon Boulevard location, where it stocks clothing for children of all ages, and both casual and professional attire for men and women. “We show love to our neighbors when they need it the most, and allow them to be seen the way that they want to be seen,” Linton says.
The nonprofit has once again outgrown its space and has paused accepting donations of women’s clothing. It is currently in need of a donated space so it can expand and serve more San Diegans in need. For more information or to help support Sharia’s Closet, visit shariascloset.org.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
