Free clothing store · Oblong, Illinois · Since 2016
Lydia’s Closet is a free clothing store in Crawford County. Everything on the rack is free — for anyone, every time. There is no cost, no application and no qualifying. You walk in, you look around, you leave with what you came for.
OpenFridays
10 AM – 5 PMand the first Saturday of each month
What you need to bring
Most places that give things away ask you to prove you deserve them first. We don’t. Here is the complete list of what we will never ask you for:
Just the front door, during open hours.
What we do
Two programs, one purpose: take pressure off families in Crawford County, this week and ten years from now.
Racks of clean, sorted clothing for men, women, teens, children and infants. Shoes, coats and accessories as they come in. When they are donated, we also have car seats, strollers and other children’s essentials.
A closet full of clothes helps a family this week. A scholarship changes what the next ten years look like. We award college scholarships and support skill-improvement opportunities — funded by the same donors and volunteers who keep the racks full.
Our story
Lydia’s Closet started in 2016 as an idea about what a small town could do for its own. Every time the racks filled up faster than they emptied, the building got bigger. Five expansions in eight years — because the need kept showing up, and so did this community.
Visit us
Park out front, come in, take your time. If we do not have what you need on the rack that day, ask — it may be in the back, or we can watch for it.
Hours can shift around holidays and weather. Facebook is the fastest place to check before a long drive.
Common questions
Yes. Everything in the store is free. There is no cost, no application and no qualifying process. You simply come in and take what your family needs.
No. You do not need an appointment, a referral, an ID or proof of anything. Lydia’s Closet is open to anyone who walks through the door.
Fridays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and the first Saturday of each month. Hours can shift around holidays and weather, so check the Facebook page before a long drive.
801 E Wisconsin St, Oblong, Illinois 62449 — serving Oblong, Robinson and the surrounding Crawford County area.
Clothing for men, women, teens, children and infants, plus shoes, coats and accessories. When they are donated, we also have car seats, strollers and other children’s essentials.
Bring clean, wearable clothing during open hours. For a large donation, call 618-553-5886 ahead of time so we can make room.
Yes. Lydia’s Closet Consortium NFP is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity, EIN 81-2888931, so gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law.
Lydia’s Closet Consortium awards college scholarships and supports skill-improvement opportunities for people in the community. Call 618-553-5886 or email info@lydiasclosetconsortium.org to ask what is available this year.
Ways to help
Everything here arrives because somebody in this county decided to drop it off, hang it up or pay for the lights.
Clean, wearable clothing in any size, plus shoes, coats and children’s gear. Seasonal items are especially useful as the weather turns.
Drop off during open hours, or call ahead for a large donation.
Sorting, hanging, folding, restocking and greeting. A few hours on a Friday makes a visible difference in what is on the rack.
Call 618-553-5886 to ask about a shift.
Gifts cover the building, utilities, storage and the scholarship fund. As a registered 501(c)(3), donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
Email info@lydiasclosetconsortium.org for mailing details and a receipt.
Contact
Questions about hours, donations, volunteering or scholarships — a phone call, an email or a Facebook message all reach a real person.