Our story

The Loaner’s Closet was started in 2003 when we saw the need, among the low-income elderly and disabled individuals we serve, for common medical items that they could not afford or were not readily available to them. And because we work with the elderly and disabled, we were often offered used medical equipment by former clients and their families when that equipment was no longer needed. The Closet, which started as a small collection in our back office, now takes up nearly a 1/3 of our 4,100 square foot lease complete with a waiting room, resource center, two showrooms, a cleaning room, workshop, overstock room and office space. We currently have nearly 14,000 pieces of equipment available or out on loan.

HUBSCRUB

Click here to see more info on our HUBSCRUB machine purchase with grant funds in December 2020.

View the DME Brochure
Loaner's Closet Poster

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Common Questions About The Loaner's Closet

Who Donates Equipment

Who donates equipment

Our biggest sources of equipment are deceased individuals and their families. We also receive equipment from estate sales, adult daycare facilities, nursing homes, retail stores and thrift stores.

Do you arrange to pickup donated items?

No, we do not pick up or deliver donations. Please call the office directly, 432-0877, extension 3 for any questions to find out if we are able to pick up the items you would like to donate. We handle requests on a case-by-case basis depending on the need of the particular item(s), availability and distance from office, flexibility and amount. Please do not assume we can pick up items unless you speak to a staff member.

Who can borrow?

We loan out equipment primarily to individuals. We also have a network of local healthcare professionals, occupational and physical therapists and visiting nurses who borrow equipment for their clients. Although we have no geographic restrictions, most of our borrowers come from New Hampshire. All equipment loans are free of charge. We ask the item be returned to us when no longer needed. Each new borrower is sent home with an introduction and remittance envelope, in hopes one day they can donate.

How it works

Each item donated has been evaluated, accepted, cleaned, logged into our inventory and finally placed in our storage room. A potential borrower needs only call or come in to inquire if their desired item is available. If the equipment is not available, we put the individual on a waitlist for that item and contact them when the item is back in stock.

What we require from borrowers

Borrowers are required to fill out a simple Loaner’s Agreement and Lease with the borrower’s name and contact information, and the number and description of the item borrowed. We do ask that the items be returned when no longer needed, so they can be lent to others on our waitlist.

Our contact information

Monday-Friday, 9AM -3PM. 603-432-0877 extension 3
Donna@comcaregivers.org
Donna Kluk, Loaner’s Closet Coordinator

How we are funded

Community Caregivers of Greater Derry and the Loaner’s Closet have a diverse funding portfolio comprised of individual donations from borrowers, funding from the 7 towns we service, private grants, and fundraising events such as our well-known Potter’s Bowl. We do not receive funding from the State of New Hampshire, federal government, or insurance companies to operate the Loaner’s Closet.

Our recent partners

The Loaner's Closet's funding partners include -

Norwin S. & Elizabeth N. Bean Foundation
Billings Charitable Trust (via Citizens Private Bank)
Eventide Foundation
Oleonda Jameson Foundation
George A. Ramlose Foundation
Walmart Foundation

Caregivers Staff and Board of Directors work hard to be good stewards of any foundation funding that we are fortunate to receive. Most of the $148,000 necessary to operate The Loaner’s Closet comes from grants. The additional funding required to operate this much-loved program is provided by Loaner's Closet borrowers or donors to our Annual Appeal. Thank you!

What does our building and entrance look like?

What you can borrow

A wide variety of equipment; typical items are listed below but are not limited to: BATH ROOM ASSISTANCE AIDES, ETC

Bed pans

Commode – toilet Versa frames and raised toilet seats w/o bars

Raised/elevated toilet seats

Shower chairs, shower stools (with no back) and transfer tub benches, sliding transfer tub benches

MOBILITY EQUIPMENT

Canes and quad canes

Crutches and Lofstrand crutches

Hemi walkers – walkers – walker baskets and walker trays

Knee scooters

Rollator walkers with a seat & brakes

Transport wheelchairs and regular wheelchairs.

MISCELLANEOUS

Adult taped diapers – depends and Chux pads

Ankle and leg boots

Bariatric equipment – wheelchairs, commodes, walkers, rollators

Bed assist rail

Bed trays.

Blood pressure kits

Cryo cuff with cooler

Cushions

Dressing sticks – grabbers/reachers

Gait belts

Sliding/transfer boards

Sock aids

Step stools

How we deal with & accept large items

We are not able to stock large items (hospital beds, electric wheelchairs or scooters, Hoyer lifts, non-folding wheelchairs, recliners) because of limited storage capability. We do keep an up-to-date list of available items along with contact information of the current holder of such an item, which we pass on to those interested; they will then need to contact and make arrangements to view, pick up and remove such items.

How we handle disposable/consumable items?

We often have and accept (opened and unopened packages) adult tape diapers and pullups, Depends™, Chux pads™, Tena pads™, etc. We also often have nutritional supplement drinks and feeding tube liquids available and accept them when still in code.

What we are not allowed to stock or distribute

CPA/BPAP machines, nebulizers, oxygen concentrators, oxygen tanks, tubing, needles, medication, medical supplies or basically anything that goes into or pierces the body. Please call if you are unsure of any item not listed to loan or donate.

What if I break a piece of equipment on loan to me?

No problem; just notify us as to the severity of the break and we will instruct you whether we would like it returned for parts or whether you can just dispose of it yourself. We need only to know the inventory number on the yellow tag to mark it as damaged or discarded in our database.

Are donations tax deductible?

Tax donation letters are available upon request or can also be sent by mail. We can only list the estimated used value of any item or 20% of the original retail price.

Loaner's Closet in the news!!!

Loaner’s closet praise

“After recuperating from a broken hip, my mother was diagnosed with dementia and had to come to live with us. My mother’s favorite activity is walking and the rollator (walker with seat) we borrowed from you has made it possible for her to enjoy daily outings around our mobile home park. The services you provide free of charge to the elderly and their caretakers are PRICELESS, especially to those of us who are on fixed incomes”. With appreciation,

John & Renee D., Londonderry, NH

“I came to Community Caregivers because of a life-altering medical condition. This wonderful organization was able to loan me medical equipment that saved me a considerable amount of money. You are probably aware that most medical insurance policies do not cover all or even close to what medical equipment may cost to a patient, whether it rented or bought. The equipment I was given helped me with my daily living. I could not get along without it.” Sincerely,

Andrea D., Hampstead, NH

“I am an Occupational Therapist at a local home care agency. My job is to assist elderly clients with achieving the highest level of safety and functional independence within their home. In order to achieve this, medical equipment is often necessary to modify their home environment and increase their safety. As most people are aware, medical insurance is no longer funding the majority of medically necessary equipment for patients. This elderly population is often unable to take on the financial burden of purchasing needed equipment and as a result, people are discharged home without the proper safety measures in place. Without The Loaner’s Closet, I would often not be able to supply my patients with the equipment needed to ensure their continued safety.”

Megan M. MS OT

Since I found out about the Loaners Closet I have saved so much time and money ... They have been a Godsend. I've gotten everything from walkers to wheel chairs to diapers for my mother. Being a caregiver for my 88 year old mother, they have helped me with the resources and needs I would have never known about . To add to this they make me feel so comfortable going there ...everyone is so nice and friendly. I feel like I'm going to visit friends .. I can go on and on about what help they have been ..this place is just amazing .. If I won the lotto they would be one of the first charities I would help !!!

The Loaner's Closet is a wonderful and important community service. When my husband began cancer treatment, we found that he needed help with his balance and other mobility issues. We were able to borrow a walker and a wheelchair until his stability improved. It was a relief to have just the right equipment for him and at no expense to us at a time of great stress and worry.

G.E.

This company has helped me get around, with wheelchairs, walkers. Without Caregivers, I would have given up getting around. They have been a blessing for me.

L.K.

Thank you so much for all that you do. The Loaner’s Closet makes a significant difference for so many people. Medical equipment can take a long time to arrive, if clients are lucky enough to be able to get reimbursement for them at all. Your facility makes a huge difference in their lives by assisting in locating and providing equipment for clients. For some families and clients that do not have insurance the Closet provides an opportunity to live more independently, with greater self-esteem and they can return to doing the things that are important to them. Thank you for all that you do.

E. S., COTA/L MOTS Salem State University

A year ago, my brother and I were facing our mother's terminal illness. Community Caregiver's loaned us a portable toilet, a sliding bench for the bathtub, a raised toilet seat, rails for her bed and even a safety belt. This saved us significant money and provided a relief from worrying about having to purchase these items. This is a very important part of Community Caregiver's service to the greater Derry community and we are so grateful for the assistance from them.

E.B, Londonderry

I have MS that has gotten progressively worse over the years. I have used the Loaner’s Closet many times for items that are not covered through my insurance or I need multiple items of which my insurance has a cap. The staff also helped me locate and access a motorized wheelchair and ramp that someone generously donated . This allows me the independence to post and retrieve mail, walk my dog, wait for the school bus and water my flowers.

T.S.

Click here to send us your words of gratitude or questions.

Join our mailing list

About 3-4 times a month, our staff will send electronic mail to a growing list of frequent borrowers (such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, visiting nurses, social workers and case managers) to notify them of a specific/valuable item(s) we have in stock or items we are in great need of. For example: Spreading the word about a Brand new Reclining Lift Chair that a local person is looking to donate quickly.

If you would like to be on this mailing list, please email office@comcaregivers.org SUBJECT: ADD TO LC MAILING LIST

Other equipment resources if we do not have what you need

For the most up-to-date list of our vetted equipment partners, please download our DME BROCHURE.