Mars Sharrock, program director of The Wardrobe in Philadelphia, is among the Out 100 honorees.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — This is a great honor for those who work to advance the LGBTQ+ community. Out Magazine included the 100 most influential people in a list called “Out 100”. Among the nationally recognized names is a local man who works to make people look as good as they feel.

Mars Sharrock is the Program Director of The Wardrobe, a non-profit organization with several locations including Northern Liberties.

“We’re a clothing nonprofit, so we provide free clothing to anyone who needs it,” said Sharrock, who has worked at The Wardrobe for about five years. One of the things they love about the storefront is that everyone is treated the same, whether it’s the person donating clothes or the person in need of clothes.

“Everyone comes through the same front door because everyone gets the same service from us,” said Sharrock of Wardrobe, which is also open for purchases with proceeds benefiting the organization.

The goal is also to make shopping an enjoyable experience, something Sharrock hasn’t always had.

“Over 10 years ago, I came out to my friends as being transgender,” Sharrock said. “I’ve been transgender for a while now and I know how hard it is to find clothes for a transgender person. It was really stressful for me.”

However, this is not the experience people get at The Wardrobe.

“Anyone can shop in any section they want,” Sharrock said.

Making people in the LGBTQ+ community feel included was one of Sharrock’s goals about five years ago when they started working at The Wardrobe, which was founded to sell professional women’s business suits. The organization now provides clothing for people of all gender identities.

“When I came on board, I looked around and thought, ‘There really aren’t a lot of resources for trans, non-binary, and LGBT people.’ So we wanted to create an open and welcoming space for everyone,” Sharrock said.

The Wardrobe now serves a wide range of people, from veterans to the homeless, recently released from incarceration and even kids going to prom. His love for community is one of the reasons why Sharrock was selected by Out Magazine as one of their 100 Most Influential People.

It’s an honor they couldn’t believe at first.

“So I got an email from the editor and head of Out Magazine,” Sharrock said, “and I thought, ‘Wow, these scammers have gotten very serious and very personal!’

However, this honor is real and deserved.

“They are absolutely fantastic leaders, both for me and for the entire organization,” said Wardrobe Box program coordinator Sam Perry of Sharrock.

Even though they work in a place called The Wardrobe, Sharrock knows there’s actually more to it than just clothes.

“We need food, clothing, shelter,” Sharrock said, “but we also need entertainment. We need energy. We need our communities.”

Out Magazine The Out 100 issue is on newsstands now. Biographies of the laureates can also be found on the website https://www.out.com/.

Sharrock’s story will be part of an Out 100 television special airing in December.