10 Years of A Caring Closet
Jodie Zelazny and Sara Scheetz, Co-founders
Ten years ago, A Caring Closet began with a simple idea: no one should have to go without the medical equipment they need because they can’t afford it or don’t know where to find it.
In 2015, we started collecting and lending gently used medical equipment out of our own garages. Throughout our careers in senior care, we met families already carrying the weight of a loved one’s illness, injury, or aging, only to discover they also had to figure out how to find a wheelchair, hospital bed, or walker. We knew there had to be a better way. What began as two friends trying to help their neighbors became a mission we couldn’t walk away from.
Jodie Zelazny and Sara Scheetz
Co-Founders, A Caring Closet
On April 1, 2016, A Caring Closet officially became a nonprofit, giving that mission a name and a future.
What started as a grassroots effort has grown into something we never imagined. Today, A Caring Closet operates from a 4,000-square-foot warehouse, supported by volunteers, donors, staff, and community partners. Together, we’ve distributed more than 124,000 pieces of durable medical equipment, helping thousands of people throughout Southwest Washington and beyond recover safely at home, maintain their independence, and care for loved ones with dignity.
Our story isn’t really about wheelchairs or walkers. It’s about the grandmother who could safely return home from the hospital. The father who regained independence. The family able to focus on caring for a loved one instead of worrying about how they would afford essential equipment. Every donation is an act of kindness—a reminder that no one has to face life’s hardest moments alone.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we are filled with gratitude for every volunteer, donor, supporter, and partner who has helped make this possible. While we’ve come a long way from that garage, our purpose hasn’t changed: ensuring anyone in our community who needs medical equipment can access it at no cost, with compassion, dignity, and hope.