From its founding days in 1974, The Closet has always had a policy that if someone couldn’t afford to shop at the store they could bring a referral or chit from a local social services organization and select items for free, a practice that carries over in the current voucher program.

Today The Closet partners with local government and community-based organizations to help people in need in the community. The voucher allows people to shop twice a year for clothing; shoes; and essential household items such as sheets, blankets, cookware, and dishes up to a total of $60 per adult and $30 per child (combined into one total amount per family). Since 2007, The Closet has distributed over $1,000,000 in clothing and necessities to voucher recipients.

Who is Eligible for a Voucher?

All government and private social service organizations, member congregations, and schools are eligible to request voucher assistance. Referring agents should contact The Closet via phone or email for an official referral form. The Closet Voucher program is entirely free, there is absolutely no charge to any of the participants. Our only request is that the vouchers be distributed to clients who currently have a genuine requirement for assistance in order to meet their basic needs. Only one voucher per person every six months. (Regardless of how many organizations refer a client, the client will be able to take advantage of only one referral.)

How are Vouchers Redeemed?

The voucher desk is open Monday – Saturday, beginning at 10:00AM.   Recipients must check in with the voucher desk no later than 2:00PM (Monday – Thursday) and no later than 4:00PM (Friday – Saturday) before they begin to shop.  They must provide a valid photo identification to the voucher desk employee. Once the recipient has finished shopping, the individual returns to the voucher desk to check out. Voucher recipients need to complete their shopping and return to the voucher desk no later than 2:30PM (Monday – Thursday) and no later than 4:30PM (Friday – Saturday) to allow the voucher desk time to check them out.

The Closet is accessible by public transportation. Fairfax Connector buses 937 and 950, and RIBS 5 all run close to The Closet. To plan your specific trip, you can go to the Metro trip planner at http://www.wmata.com.

For more information on our Voucher program contact The Closet at 703-437-7652.