Places That Help With Clothing Vouchers: Free Clothes for Work, School, and Emergencies

Places that help with clothing vouchers near you

Clothing help is local. The same charity can be generous in one county and out of vouchers in the next, depending on donations. These are the places most likely to help, roughly in the order to try them:

1. The Salvation Army. Its corps community centers give clothing vouchers for Salvation Army Family Stores.
2. St. Vincent de Paul. Parish-based volunteer groups help neighbors in need, often with thrift store vouchers.
3. Churches and clothing closets. Many churches and community centers run free clothing closets with no voucher needed.
4. Your caseworker or shelter. Shelters, domestic violence programs, re-entry programs, and job programs often hold vouchers for partner stores.
5. Your child’s school. Counselors, social workers, and homeless liaisons know about local clothing programs.
6. 211. The 211 network is a free, confidential line that can list clothing programs open near you this week.

Call before you go. Many offices give vouchers only on certain days or by appointment, and some serve only people who live in their area.

Salvation Army clothing vouchers

The Salvation Army runs two separate things in most towns: corps community centers, which offer social services, and Family Stores, which sell donated goods. Vouchers come from the social services side, not the store counter. A caseworker talks with you, and if approved, you get a voucher to use at a nearby Family Store, where you pick out items yourself.

Vouchers are often given to people after a house fire, people starting a new job, families with children who need school or winter clothes, and people leaving a shelter or jail. The value, the number of items, and how often you can ask are set by each location. Use the Salvation Army location finder to find your nearest corps, then call and ask for social services.

Our full guide to the Salvation Army clothes voucher covers who qualifies, what to bring, and what a voucher usually includes.

St. Vincent de Paul and church clothing help

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a Catholic lay organization with more than 4,000 local groups, called conferences, across the country. It says it works to feed, clothe, house, and heal people who have nowhere else to turn, and it runs thrift stores and food pantries in many areas. Volunteers often meet people through a home visit or a phone interview.

In many places, a conference can give a voucher for its thrift store, sometimes along with help for rent, utilities, or furniture. You do not need to be Catholic. Call the parish office of a nearby Catholic church and ask whether its St. Vincent de Paul conference helps with clothing, or check your diocese’s St. Vincent de Paul council website.

Other churches and faith groups run free clothing closets, coat drives, and seasonal giveaways. Some ask you to fill out a short form; many simply let you take what you need.

Goodwill and other agency-referred vouchers

Each Goodwill store is run by a local, independent Goodwill organization, so programs differ. Some local Goodwills accept clothing vouchers issued by partner agencies, such as shelters, refugee resettlement offices, re-entry programs, and job training programs. In most areas, you cannot walk into a Goodwill and ask for a voucher yourself. Instead, ask your caseworker whether their agency has a voucher agreement with a local Goodwill or other thrift store.

Other groups that sometimes hold vouchers or run clothing rooms include:

• Homeless shelters and day centers, including faith-based missions.
• Domestic violence programs.
• Refugee and immigrant service agencies.
• Veterans service organizations and VA homeless programs.
• Hospital social workers, for patients discharged without suitable clothes.

Matching your need to the right place

This table shows where to start based on what you need.

For shoes in particular, our guide to free shoes for low-income families lists national shoe charities and school programs.

Where can children get free school clothes?

Start with the school. Counselors and social workers often keep a clothing closet or know which local groups help. Many districts also hold back-to-school events with free clothes, shoes, and supplies.

Operation School Bell

The Assistance League’s Operation School Bell provides new clothes, shoes, and school supplies to children in need. Local chapters work with schools and districts to identify children, who then shop with a volunteer at the chapter or a participating store. Families do not usually apply directly; ask the school counselor whether your school takes part.

Students without stable housing

The federal McKinney-Vento Act protects children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate place to stay, including families doubled up with others or staying in motels. Every school district must have a homeless liaison. According to the National Center for Homeless Education, McKinney-Vento subgrant funds can pay for school supplies and other extraordinary or emergency help that students need to attend school. Many districts use this help for clothing, uniforms, and shoes, though what is covered depends on your state and district. Ask the liaison directly.

Clothes for a job interview or new job

Dress for Success

Dress for Success helps women get interview clothing. It says that once you have scheduled an interview, you get a referral to visit your local Dress for Success boutique, where volunteers help you choose an outfit. Referrals come from partner agencies, such as job training programs, shelters, and workforce centers. Each location is an independent nonprofit with its own hours and rules. For men, the Dress for Success FAQ points to groups such as One Hundred Suits for One Hundred Men, which serve some cities.

American Job Centers and workforce programs

Under federal job program rules for adults and dislocated workers (20 CFR 680.900), supportive services can include help with uniforms or other work attire and work-related tools. Each local workforce board sets its own policy, and you usually need to be enrolled in a program. Find your nearest American Job Center through CareerOneStop.

TANF work programs and employers

If you get TANF, ask your work program caseworker about help with work clothes or boots. Some employers also provide or reimburse uniforms; ask during hiring.

Clothing after a fire, disaster, or leaving home

If a home fire or disaster took your clothes, call the Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Local Red Cross teams help with immediate needs such as lodging, food, and clothing after home fires and disasters, and the Red Cross shelter map lists open shelters and service sites after large disasters. Our guide to American Red Cross hotel vouchers explains what to expect.

The Salvation Army also often helps fire and disaster victims quickly with clothing vouchers. Bring a fire report or any paper showing what happened.

If you left home because of abuse, a domestic violence program can usually provide clothing and toiletries along with shelter, often the same day. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.

Asking for a voucher and what to bring

Requirements vary, so call first. These items cover what most offices ask for:

• Photo ID for adults, if you have one.
• Proof of address, such as a piece of mail or a lease, if the office serves a set area.
• Proof of income or benefits, such as a pay stub, SNAP letter, or Medicaid card.
• Proof of the need, such as a fire report, job offer letter, shelter letter, or school note.
• Sizes for everyone in the household, written down, so you can shop quickly.

When you talk with the caseworker, be specific. “My son needs school pants and shoes, size 10 and youth 4” gets a faster, better answer than “we need clothes.” If you are turned down, ask when you can ask again and who else might help.

Best times of year to ask

• July and August: back-to-school drives and Operation School Bell shopping events.
• October and November: coat drives start before the cold weather.
• November and December: holiday programs, such as the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree in many areas, often include clothing for children.
• Early in the month: some offices hand out a set number of vouchers each month and run out.

If you need clothes now, do not wait for a season. Explain the urgency, especially after a fire, a new job, or a move out of a shelter.

Your step-by-step plan

1. Write down exactly what you need, with sizes for each person.
2. Call your local Salvation Army corps and a St. Vincent de Paul conference and ask about clothing vouchers.
3. Ask your caseworker, shelter, or school whether they hold vouchers or know a clothing closet.
4. Dial 211 for free clothing programs open this week.
5. For work clothes, ask an American Job Center or Dress for Success partner agency for a referral.
6. Bring ID and proof of need to your appointment.

Related guides

• Free school uniforms for low-income families
• Government assistance for house fire victims
• Salvation Army emergency assistance
• Salvation Army food pantry

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Voucher rules, values, and availability are set by each local charity or agency. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with any of the organizations named or with any government agency.