SCRANTON, Pa. — Closed during the pandemic, the St. Francis Free Clothing Store in Scranton has been back open for more than a month now, and things seem busier than ever.
"They come to the door, they let us know what they need, and we bring them two or three choices and serve them right by the sidewalk, right by the entrance of the free clothing store," said executive director Rob Williams.
With cold winter weather ahead, Williams said helping people get clothing is so important. He said the homeless are looking for some help.
"We’ve had a very, very positive response from people. If you think about folks that live outdoors or spend a lot of their days outdoors, something like socks are so important. We give out a lot of dry and warm socks for people. People have been very, very grateful that we are able to provide this service for them once again."
Williams said they are also getting a lot of folks who are starting new jobs who are looking for something to wear when they begin.
"We often have people come that got a new job at a factory or someplace and they need to come and prepare themselves, to go into a work environment, so I think the two ends of the spectrum are those who live outside; also people who are reemployed or newly employed and they need a helping hand."
The St. Francis Free Clothing Store is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 504 Penn Avenue in Scranton.
The store is also accepting clothing donations again, which were halted earlier this year because of the pandemic.