COLUMBIA, Md. — From crutches, to wheelchairs and bed lifts, whatever your ailment, the Loan Closet will likely have what you need to recuperate.
"It's similar to a library. So as you would short-term rental a book, same thing with all the equipment," said Henry Chapman, manager at the Office of Disability Services in Howard County.
The Loan Closet is open to all Howard County residents and accepts donations of many types of medical equipment. Every donation is checked out, repaired if needed, cleaned and sanitized.
Jennifer Blevins is the manager at the Loan Closet and said they've seen a steady increase in both donations and loans over the last few years.
"There’s a lot of medical equipment that insurance won’t pay for when people have surgery and come home from the hospital," she said. "And sometimes people only need it for a week or two and they can’t incur that expense."
"We also see a lot of people who are trying to age in place in their homes. They’re trying to stay independent."
There's also the environmental impact to donating. Blevins said they kept 230,000 pounds of equipment waste out of the landfills last year. Whatever they can't donate, she said they send it to other charities or turn it into scrap metal.
"A lot of people want to know it's going to help other people," said Blevins. "It may have been from a loved one who passed away or they may have been only able to use it for a short period of time and they don’t want it to go into the landfill."
No matter the reason, the team is always appreciative of the generosity of others to help keep the Loan Closet stocked and ready for the next request.
"Its nice to see there are people who are wanting and willing and able to help," said Chapman.
The Loan Closet is located at 7125 Riverwood Drive, St D1 in Columbia. Donations can be dropped off behind the building Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
They do partner with an organization called Neighbor Ride that can provide low-cost delivery for larger items.
To request a piece of medical equipment and see what is available, click here.
