DME Loan Closets and Medical Equipment Reuse in New Jersey

Last updated: 16 April 2026

Bottom Line: New Jersey does not appear to have one official statewide public directory devoted only to durable medical equipment (DME) loan closets. In real life, the best New Jersey starting points are your county Area Agency on Aging and Aging & Disability Resource Connection, the Division of Disability Services referral team, Back In Action, Goodwill Home Medical Equipment, and NJ 211. If you need equipment quickly, start with the county and state referral lines first, then move to reuse and low-cost options.

Emergency help now

• If a senior is being discharged today and cannot safely toilet, bathe, or transfer at home, call the hospital discharge planner or rehab social worker before discharge and ask for immediate equipment coordination.
• Call the statewide Aging & Disability Resource Connection line at 1-877-222-3737 and say you need urgent equipment help for a New Jersey older adult.
• Dial 211 in New Jersey or text your ZIP code to 898-211 for 24/7 local referrals.

Quick help

• Fastest local route for adults 60+: your county Office on Aging / Area Agency on Aging.
• Best statewide live helper: New Jersey Division of Disability Services Information and Referral, 1-888-285-3036.
• Best statewide reuse exchange: Back In Action from Disability Rights New Jersey.
• Best low-cost warehouse: Goodwill Home Medical Equipment in Bellmawr, 1-609-396-1513.
• Best for specialized assistive technology: the Technology Lending Center, which offers free short-term loans to New Jersey residents.
• Best Medicare helper: State Health Insurance Assistance Program, 1-800-792-8820.

What this help is, and what it is not

A DME loan closet or reuse program helps people get used or borrowed medical equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, shower chairs, commodes, and hospital beds. In New Jersey, this help usually comes from county aging and disability networks, nonprofit reuse programs, small community closets, and one major low-cost reuse warehouse in Bellmawr.

What it is: a way to get equipment fast, borrow items for short-term recovery, or buy refurbished equipment at a much lower price than retail.

What it is not: the same thing as Medicare, NJ FamilyCare, or private insurance coverage. A free loan closet may solve today’s problem, but it does not replace an insurance order, a doctor’s prescription, or a long-term care plan when those are needed.

Important New Jersey point: if the real problem is long-term care at home, not just one missing walker, you may also need your county aging office to screen for services like Managed Long-Term Services and Supports.

Quick facts for New Jersey seniors

• No single statewide loan-closet directory: as of April 2026, New Jersey seniors usually have to combine county, state, and nonprofit routes.
• Every county has an aging lead agency: New Jersey’s 21 county Area Agencies on Aging also serve as Aging & Disability Resource Connection lead agencies.
• State disability help is live: the Division of Disability Services has trained specialists who help residents find programs and services.
• Reuse is real in New Jersey: Disability Rights New Jersey’s Assistive Technology Advocacy Center supports reuse, device loans, and referrals.
• Bellmawr matters: Goodwill Home Medical Equipment is the biggest easy-to-verify New Jersey reuse warehouse for basic home medical equipment.

The best statewide starting points in New Jersey

If you do not know where to begin, start here. These are the most useful statewide or statewide-linked paths for older adults and caregivers.

Starting point	What it helps with	Why it matters in New Jersey
County Office on Aging / Area Agency on Aging	Local referrals, transportation, caregiver help, home supports, long-term care screening	All 21 counties have one, and they are often the fastest local connector for seniors age 60 and older.
Division of Disability Services	Statewide disability information and service navigation	Useful when the need is urgent, confusing, or crosses county lines. Call 1-888-285-3036.
NJ 211	24/7 referral line by phone, text, chat, and web	Good for local nonprofit closets, donation programs, and community help that may not show up on state sites.
Back In Action	Peer-to-peer reuse for assistive technology and some medical-related devices	New Jersey-focused exchange run through Disability Rights New Jersey’s assistive technology network.
Goodwill Home Medical Equipment	Low-cost refurbished equipment with no prescription required	The clearest statewide-ready reuse warehouse for wheelchairs, walkers, beds, lifts, scooters, and bath items.
Technology Lending Center	Free short-term loans of assistive technology	Best when the senior needs a specialized device, communication tool, or try-before-you-buy solution.

What New Jersey actually offers: reuse and assistive-technology programs

Disability Rights New Jersey and Back In Action

Disability Rights New Jersey’s Assistive Technology Advocacy Center is New Jersey’s federally funded assistive technology project. Its Back In Action program is a New Jersey-focused reuse exchange for residents who want to donate, sell, request, or find used equipment. This route is especially helpful when a senior needs something unusual or when local closets come up empty.

Important limit: Back In Action says it does not list oxygen equipment, ventilators, catheters, or other items with hygiene or safety risks. It is an exchange, not a statewide delivery service. If a senior does not use Facebook, the Back In Action page says staff can help post by phone or email.

Advancing Opportunities Technology Lending Center

The Technology Lending Center is a free service for New Jersey residents. It is not a basic community walker closet. It is better for specialized assistive technology, communication tools, and home-access tools that you want to borrow for a trial period before spending money. The current site says typical loans run about 4 to 6 weeks, and caregivers can call 1-888-695-0845 or 1-609-882-4182 for help.

State programs for hearing, vision, and communication needs

New Jersey’s official assistive technology page points residents to several strong state-specific programs. The Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Equipment Distribution Program provides no-cost telecommunications and visual alerting equipment to eligible residents with hearing loss. The state also points visually impaired residents to the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired’s Regional Technology Assistance Centers, and points deaf-blind residents to ICanConnect NJ. These are not general DME loan closets, but they matter a lot for older adults whose main need is communication or home safety technology.

Examples of real New Jersey programs and how their rules differ

Program	Best for	What you may find	Important limits
Goodwill Home Medical Equipment	Low-cost refurbished equipment	Wheelchairs, walkers, scooters, hospital beds, patient lifts, lift chairs, commodes, bath items, supplies	Purchase, not loan. Inventory changes. The site says no prescription is required.
Fair Lawn Medical Equipment Gemach	Free community loans in North Jersey	Wheelchairs, walkers, knee scooters, hospital beds, scooters, shower chairs, commodes, and more	Inventory varies. Pickup is normal; delivery is only in special circumstances.
Bikur Cholim of Raritan Valley	Middlesex County residents in its service community	Wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, bath benches, shower chairs, commodes	The site says loans are for members of the Jewish community of Middlesex County.
Joan Dancy & PALS Foundation	Adults and families dealing with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)	Wheelchairs, Hoyer lifts, shower chairs, commodes	Disease-specific program, not a general statewide closet.
Back In Action	Statewide reuse when you can arrange pickup or exchange	Used assistive technology and some mobility or access items	No oxygen equipment, ventilators, catheters, or similar hygiene-risk items.

What equipment is commonly available, and what is harder to find

Usually easier to find: manual wheelchairs, transport chairs, walkers, rollators, canes, crutches, commodes, shower chairs, bath benches, toilet safety items, and some bedside tables.

Sometimes available, but less predictable: hospital beds, patient lifts, lift chairs, power wheelchairs, scooters, ramps, bariatric items, and specialty cushions.

Often restricted or excluded: oxygen equipment, continuous positive airway pressure machines, nebulizers, catheters, bed mattresses, and other items with strong sanitation or safety concerns. For example, Back In Action excludes oxygen-related items and several hygiene-risk supplies, and Goodwill’s donation page excludes oxygen equipment, continuous positive airway pressure machines, nebulizers, and hospital bed mattresses.

New Jersey Medicaid detail: under the state’s DME recycling rule for NJ FamilyCare fee-for-service, recyclable items can include canes, commodes, durable bathroom equipment, hospital beds, walkers, wheelchairs, and wheelchair parts.

How loans usually work in New Jersey

New Jersey programs do not all work the same way. Small community closets often lend items free. Reuse warehouses like Goodwill usually sell sanitized and refurbished equipment at low cost. Disease-specific groups may lend equipment only to people with a certain diagnosis. Faith-based closets may help the whole public, or they may limit loans to a certain local or religious community.

Most loan programs will ask for some mix of these steps: call or submit a form, confirm that the item is in stock, schedule pickup, sign a waiver or loan form, and return the item when you are done. Some programs ask for a set return date. Others simply ask you to return it when it is no longer needed.

What to ask before pickup

• Is the item available right now? Do not assume the website list matches today’s inventory.
• What size and weight limit is it? This matters for wheelchairs, shower chairs, and commodes.
• Are all parts included? Ask about footrests, charger, sling, mattress, rails, brake tips, or commode bucket.
• Was it cleaned and checked? Ask how the program sanitizes and inspects the item.
• Can someone else pick it up for me? This matters if the senior cannot drive.
• How long can I keep it? Get the return rule in plain language.
• Is delivery offered? Ask the price, the distance limits, and whether setup is included.
• Will it fit? Ask for folded size, bed dimensions, or doorway clearance needs before you leave home.

Transportation, delivery, sanitation, and condition

For many New Jersey seniors, the hardest part is not finding a walker. It is getting the walker, bed, or lift home. That is why the county Area Agency on Aging and Aging & Disability Resource Connection matters so much. County aging offices can connect older adults with transportation and other local supports.

If you are looking at Goodwill’s current pickup and delivery rules, the Bellmawr warehouse says larger items such as hospital beds, Hoyer lifts, power equipment, lift chairs, and some exercise equipment can be delivered for a fee. The current page lists distance-based delivery charges and an extra setup charge for hospital beds. Always confirm the current fee before paying, because transportation cost can change the real price of “cheap” equipment.

On sanitation, ask direct questions. Was the equipment merely wiped down, or was it refurbished and checked? Are rubber tips worn? Do wheelchair brakes lock? Does the power chair hold a charge? Is the sling the right size? Reuse is valuable, but safety comes first.

Local fallback categories if statewide options are limited

If the statewide paths do not solve it, New Jersey seniors should move into local and regional categories in this order:

• County aging offices: start with your AAA/ADRC if the person is age 60 or older.
• Centers for Independent Living: the state’s official Centers for Independent Living directory covers counties across New Jersey and is often the best next stop for disability-related local leads.
• Hospital and rehab social workers: they often know local closets that are not easy to find online.
• Disease-specific nonprofits: ALS, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, stroke, and other condition-specific groups sometimes keep loan programs or local lists.
• Faith and community programs: in New Jersey, many workable closets are local, small, and volunteer-run. Ask NJ 211 or your county office for names close to home.

Regional reality in New Jersey: South Jersey has the Bellmawr reuse warehouse, while many North Jersey and smaller-county options are more scattered and community-based. That makes county offices, NJ 211, and Centers for Independent Living especially important in areas without a large public warehouse.

What to do if you live in a rural area or cannot find help nearby

• Ask your county office to search beyond your county. A closet in the next county may be closer than it sounds.
• Use statewide exchange tools. Back In Action can uncover items not listed anywhere else.
• Use low-cost reuse when free loans fail. Goodwill Home Medical Equipment may still cost less than retail, even after delivery.
• Ask about transportation at the same time. Do not solve the equipment problem and forget the pickup problem.
• If the need is long-term and serious, ask about Medicaid long-term care screening. Your county aging office can help with Managed Long-Term Services and Supports screening for eligible adults.
• Use national backup only after local routes. The AT3 state program directory can help you identify neighboring-state assistive technology programs if you live near a border, but always ask whether they serve New Jersey residents before you drive.

Do not mix up reuse with insurance coverage

Community reuse is separate from insurance. If you need a borrowed item today, use county and community routes. If you need a medically necessary long-term item paid by insurance, you still need to go through your doctor and plan.

For Medicare questions or denials, call New Jersey’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program at 1-800-792-8820. For NJ FamilyCare issues, start with the NJ FamilyCare contact page at 1-800-701-0710, then your managed care plan if you have one. The state also posts a full NJ FamilyCare health plan contact list.

What to do first

1. Name the exact item. Do not just say “medical equipment.” Say “standard wheelchair,” “raised toilet seat,” “semi-electric hospital bed,” or “transfer bench.”
2. Call the county aging office or ADRC first. If the senior is 60 or older, this is usually the fastest New Jersey entry point.
3. Call the Division of Disability Services. Ask for local loan closets, reuse programs, and disability-related service options.
4. Call NJ 211. Ask specifically for free or low-cost medical equipment, not just “senior help.”
5. Check Back In Action and Goodwill. These are strong statewide backup paths when the county list is thin.
6. Confirm pickup, delivery, and return rules before leaving home. This prevents wasted trips.

What to gather or know first

• ☐ The senior’s county, town, and ZIP code
• ☐ The exact equipment needed
• ☐ Height, weight, and whether a bariatric size is needed
• ☐ Whether the item must fit through a narrow bathroom or doorway
• ☐ Whether anyone can pick it up in a car, SUV, or van
• ☐ Whether stairs, bed rails, or a lift setup are involved
• ☐ Insurance name, if you may also need a covered long-term order
• ☐ Any discharge date or urgent deadline

Reality checks

• Availability changes fast: donation-based closets can have a walker today and none tomorrow.

• Transport is often the real barrier: a free hospital bed is not truly free if you cannot get it home or set it up.

• North, rural, and smaller-county options can be patchy: many seniors will need to search across county lines.

• Borrowed gear may only be the bridge: if the need is long-term, you may still need insurance, NJ FamilyCare, or long-term care services.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting until discharge day to start calling
• Assuming NJ 211 or the state disability office lends equipment directly
• Driving to Bellmawr without checking current stock
• Borrowing a chair or commode without checking size and weight limits
• Forgetting to ask whether parts are included
• Mixing up a free community loan with an insurance-covered long-term order
• Accepting hygiene-sensitive or power equipment without asking about cleaning and condition

What to do if the first path does not work

• Call again with better details. “Need a bariatric rollator by Friday in Gloucester County” gets better results than “Need equipment.”
• Ask for the next county over. County and disability workers often know nearby programs outside your county line.
• Try a different category. If no free closet has it, ask about refurbished resale, disease-specific groups, or short-term assistive technology loans.
• Ask your doctor’s office for the exact specifications. This helps when you must switch from a loan closet to an insurance order.
• Use SHIP or NJ FamilyCare help lines if coverage is the blockage. Do not guess about denial rules.

Frequently asked questions

Is there one statewide free medical equipment loan closet in New Jersey?

No. As of April 2026, there does not appear to be one official statewide public loan-closet directory just for DME. Most people in New Jersey have to combine county aging offices, disability referral services, reuse exchanges, NJ 211, and local nonprofits.

Where should I start if my parent needs a walker or wheelchair this week?

Start with the county Area Agency on Aging / Aging & Disability Resource Connection if the person is age 60 or older. Then call the Division of Disability Services and NJ 211 the same day.

Does New Jersey Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare reuse equipment?

Yes, for fee-for-service members. New Jersey’s DME recycling rule says certain recyclable items must go through the state’s recycling contractor when available. Most NJ FamilyCare members are in managed care, so they should also call their health plan or NJ FamilyCare.

Is Goodwill Home Medical Equipment free?

Usually no. Goodwill Home Medical Equipment is mainly a low-cost refurbished equipment warehouse, not a free loan closet. The advantage is that it offers a large range of equipment without requiring a prescription.

What if the senior needs specialized assistive technology, not just a basic walker?

Use New Jersey’s assistive technology network. The Technology Lending Center offers free short-term loans for New Jersey residents, and Back In Action helps residents find used devices through reuse.

What if I cannot drive to pick up the equipment?

Ask about delivery before you commit. The county AAA/ADRC may know transportation options for older adults, and Goodwill’s delivery page lists current rules and fees for larger items.

What should I do if I live in a rural part of New Jersey and nothing is nearby?

Ask your county office and the Division of Disability Services to search outside your county. Then check Back In Action, Goodwill, and the AT3 state program directory for border-area backup.

Can I donate equipment after my loved one no longer needs it?

Often yes, but call first. Goodwill’s donation page lists accepted and non-accepted items, and smaller community closets may take only certain clean and safe equipment.

Resumen en español

En Nueva Jersey, no existe un solo directorio estatal oficial dedicado solamente a closets de préstamo de equipo médico duradero. La mejor forma de empezar es llamar a la oficina de envejecimiento y ADRC de su condado si la persona tiene 60 años o más. También puede llamar a la División de Servicios para Personas con Discapacidades al 1-888-285-3036 para pedir ayuda en encontrar programas locales. Si necesita referencias comunitarias las 24 horas, marque 211 en Nueva Jersey o envíe su código postal al 898-211.

Para equipo reutilizado o de bajo costo, revise Back In Action y Goodwill Home Medical Equipment. Si el problema es un aparato más especializado, el Technology Lending Center presta tecnología de asistencia gratis por un tiempo corto. Si el equipo debe ser cubierto por Medicare o NJ FamilyCare, no confunda ese proceso con un closet comunitario. En esos casos, use SHIP para Medicare o NJ FamilyCare para preguntas sobre cobertura y proveedores.

About This Guide

This guide uses official federal, state, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article, including the New Jersey Division of Aging Services, Division of Disability Services, Disability Rights New Jersey, and Goodwill Home Medical Equipment.

Editorial note: This guide is produced based on our Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources, regularly updated and monitored, but not affiliated with any government agency and not a substitute for official agency, office, utility, facility, or program guidance. Individual outcomes cannot be guaranteed.

Verification: Last verified April 16, 2026, next review August 2026.

Corrections: Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we respond within 72 hours.

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