The Closet on 54th

The Closet on 54th:

Our Story

The Closet on 54th is a clothing ministry that provides up to ten items of clothing, a pair of shoes, and two non-shoe accessories per month free to the community in need. The ministry was originally founded as God’s Closet in April 2015 at College Lutheran Church by SVLC member Leslie Atkins as a tribute to her mother who had passed away the previous year leaving a multitude of clothing.

In August 2016 we relocated to Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church on 54th to partner with The Cupboard, a food ministry already in operation at Calvary three times a week.

The Closet is open 11am-1:30pm every other Wednesday starting, and is run by volunteers from Shepherd of the Valley, and members of the community. We generally sort donations on Wednesdays when the Closet is closed.

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How you can help

We average 1200-1500 items of clothing and accessories given to 140-160 people each month. We are partnered with the San Diego Food Bank and operate on a barcode system. Our clients are issued an ID card with a bar code and a case number, then we scan their card and the number of items they receive. They can return the same month if they did not reach the monthly limit the first time.

We are always looking for donations of gently-used clean clothing and accessories (shoes, belts, purses, hats, etc.) and more people interested in volunteering to help. We take men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, but we especially need men’s clothing and shoes.

Donations can be dropped off during The Closet’s or Cupboard’s operating hours or when the Calvary church office is open 8am-noon every day. There is also a collection box in the narthex at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church.

Open for Business

The open days for the Closet are January 8 and January 22. Regular restocking days will be January 15 and January 29. As always, we are still looking for volunteers to help when we're open or on the days we sort and restock. If you are looking, or you know someone who is looking for a volunteer opportunity for a few hours a month, please consider donating your time to the Closet. A big THANK You to John Hambleton, Dusty Holycross and Pam Howard for volunteering! We are located at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3060 54th St, San Diego. We are accepting donations, and we particularly need men's clothing and shoes for both men and women. You can either bring them to church at Shepherd of the Valley or drop them off at Calvary during operating hours. Please contact Leslie Atkins at thecloseton54th@gmail.com or at 619-916-8780 if you would like to help, donate, or for more info.

Looking ahead, April 25, 2025, marks the 10 year anniversary of the Closet being in operation! Back in 2015, I never imagined we'd make it this far. A heartfelt THANK YOU to all who've helped to make this ministry a reality over the years! I couldn't have done it without you all.

Thanks and Blessings,

Leslie Atkins