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Last updated: 27 May 2026
Bottom Line: New Jersey does not appear to have one official statewide public directory for durable medical equipment loan closets. Start with your local aging and disability network, then use statewide reuse and low-cost equipment options. For adults 60 and older, the fastest first call is usually the county aging office at 1-877-222-3737. If the need is disability-related, call the DDS referral team at 1-888-285-3036. For community referrals at any hour, use the NJ 211 service.
This guide is for older adults, caregivers, discharge planners, and helpers who need a walker, wheelchair, shower chair, commode, hospital bed, lift, scooter, ramp, or related device. For broader bills, food, housing, and state programs, see our New Jersey benefits guide.
Emergency help now
- If discharge is today: call the hospital discharge planner or rehab social worker before the older adult leaves. Say the person cannot safely toilet, bathe, transfer, or sleep at home without equipment.
- If the person is 60 or older: call Aging and Disability Resource Connection at 1-877-222-3737. Ask for urgent equipment referrals in the senior’s county.
- If the person has a disability: call the Division of Disability Services at 1-888-285-3036. Specialists are available during regular business hours.
- If it is after hours: dial 211, text your ZIP code to 898-211, or use NJ 211 chat. Ask for medical equipment referrals.
- If there is danger right now: call 911. A loan closet is not a substitute for emergency medical help.
Quick help
| Need | Best first step | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Walker, wheelchair, commode, shower chair | County aging office or NJ 211 | Local DME loan closet, pickup rules, and nearby reuse programs |
| Low-cost used equipment | Goodwill Home Medical | Current inventory, price, pickup, delivery, and return rules |
| Used equipment exchange | Back In Action | How to request, donate, buy, or list assistive technology |
| Specialized assistive technology | Technology Lending Center | Device loans for home, communication, vision, hearing, or daily living |
| Long-term home care need | County aging office | Screening for home care, Medicaid long-term care, and care planning |
| Insurance denial or Medicare question | SHIP or NJ FamilyCare | Coverage rules, appeal steps, and plan contacts |
Contents
- Best starting points
- What this help is
- Statewide reuse programs
- Local loan examples
- Equipment availability
- Loans, pickup, safety
- Insurance coverage
- Phone scripts
- How to start
- Backup options
Best starting points in New Jersey
Do not call every group online. Start with the office that fits the senior’s situation. This helps you avoid programs that do not serve your county, age, diagnosis, or item.
| Starting point | Who it helps | Best use | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| County aging office | Older adults, caregivers, and adults with disabilities | Local referrals, home supports, transportation, caregiver help, and long-term care screening | They may not lend equipment directly, but they often know local closets. Our New Jersey aging offices page can help you plan the call. |
| Division of Disability Services | People with disabilities and families | Statewide disability information and referrals | It is a referral and navigation team, not a warehouse. |
| NJ 211 | Any New Jersey resident | 24/7 referrals to local nonprofits, community closets, and basic needs help | Search results can vary by ZIP code and current listings. |
| Goodwill Home Medical | People who can buy low-cost reused equipment | Refurbished equipment and supplies in Bellmawr | It is usually a purchase, not a free loan. |
| Assistive technology network | People who need devices for disability, communication, safety, work, or home access | Device loans, reuse, demonstrations, and referrals | It may not replace a basic local walker closet. |
Older adults with broader disability needs can also read our New Jersey disability help guide for home care, transportation, housing, and rights help.
What this help is, and what it is not
Durable medical equipment, often called DME, means equipment that can be used again and is tied to a medical or disability need. Common examples are wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, commodes, shower chairs, patient lifts, and some communication or access devices.
What loan closets do: A local closet may lend an item free for a short time. Some serve only one town, county, faith community, or diagnosis group.
What reuse programs do: Reuse programs collect, clean, repair, donate, sell, or exchange used equipment. New Jersey’s medical equipment help page points residents to Goodwill Home Medical as a low-cost source for equipment in Camden County.
What this is not: A loan closet is not the same as Medicare, NJ FamilyCare, or private insurance. A borrowed wheelchair may solve this week’s problem. It does not replace a doctor’s order if the senior needs a long-term chair, oxygen, a hospital bed, or a covered device.
When it is not enough: If the senior cannot bathe, dress, transfer, cook, or stay safe, equipment alone may not solve it. Our New Jersey home care guide explains care-payment paths.
Statewide reuse and assistive technology programs
Disability Rights New Jersey and Back In Action
The ATAC program at Disability Rights New Jersey is the state’s federally funded assistive technology project. It supports device demonstrations, short-term loans, reuse, and information for people with disabilities.
Back In Action helps New Jersey residents donate, sell, request, or find used assistive technology. It is peer-to-peer, so users often arrange pickup or exchange themselves. It can help when county referrals come up empty.
Important limit: Back In Action does not list ventilators, oxygen equipment, catheters, hearing aids, or items with hygiene or safety risks. It also is not a same-day delivery service.
Goodwill Home Medical Equipment
Goodwill Home Medical Equipment is in Bellmawr. Its site says it provides sanitized and refurbished affordable DME and supplies without a prescription. It can help with wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, lift chairs, hospital beds, canes, crutches, and bath items.
Before driving, call 1-609-396-1513. Ask if the item is in stock, whether it is the right size, whether delivery is available, and whether parts are included. Goodwill’s pickup and delivery page has current pickup and delivery rules, but you should confirm any fee by phone before paying.
Technology Lending Center
The Technology Lending Center is a free service for New Jersey residents. It is best for assistive technology, not only basic DME. It can help with home, work, communication, vision, hearing, daily living, and mobility devices. Call 1-888-695-0845 or 1-609-882-4182.
New Jersey also posts an assistive technology overview with state programs. For residents with hearing loss, the DDHH Equipment Program may provide telecommunications and visual home safety devices at no cost to eligible people. As of the state page reviewed for this update, eligibility includes New Jersey residency, hearing loss, and household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. For one person, the listed limit is $63,840; for two people, it is $86,560. Devices are limited by funding and availability.
Local loan examples and who they serve
New Jersey has local programs, but they do not all serve the same people. Some are open to anyone in need. Some are faith-based. Some are tied to a diagnosis. Use these examples to understand how different the rules can be.
| Program | Best for | What may be available | Important limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Lawn Gemach | People in North Jersey who need a free loan | Wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, shower chairs, commodes, scooters, beds, and more | Inventory changes. Delivery is only in special cases. |
| Bikur Cholim | Members of the Jewish community of Middlesex County | Wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, bath benches, shower chairs, commodes | The site says loans are for that service community. Some items have weight limits. |
| Joan Dancy PALS | Adults and families dealing with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS | Wheelchairs, Hoyer lifts, shower chairs, commodes | Disease-specific program, not a general statewide loan closet. |
| County and town closets | Older adults who need nearby help | Often walkers, canes, commodes, wheelchairs, shower chairs | Many are small, volunteer-run, and not easy to find online. |
Some local groups lend equipment without a large web page. This is why county aging offices, hospital social workers, and NJ 211 can beat a broad web search.
What equipment is easier or harder to find
| Equipment type | How easy it is | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Walkers, canes, crutches | Usually easier | Height, rubber tips, brakes on rollators, weight limit |
| Manual wheelchairs | Often available | Seat width, weight limit, footrests, brakes, transport size |
| Commodes and bath chairs | Often available | Width, bucket, arm strength, rust, cleaning method |
| Hospital beds and patient lifts | Less predictable | Delivery, setup, rails, mattress, sling size, outlet location |
| Power chairs and scooters | Less predictable | Battery, charger, turning space, ramp access, service history |
| Ramps and bariatric items | Harder to find | Measurements, weight limits, installation, safe slope |
| Oxygen and CPAP items | Often restricted | Use the doctor and supplier route, not a community closet |
Back In Action excludes oxygen equipment, ventilators, catheters, and other high-risk items. Goodwill’s donation list also excludes oxygen tanks, oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines, nebulizers, and hospital bed mattresses. That does not mean a senior has no option. It means the safer route is usually the doctor, insurance plan, medical supplier, or discharge team.
For NJ FamilyCare fee-for-service members, the state’s DME recycling rule says certain recyclable items can include canes, commodes, communication devices, crutches, durable bathroom equipment, hospital beds, walkers, and wheelchairs or wheelchair parts when available through the recycling contractor.
How loans, pickup, and safety checks usually work
Most loan closets follow a simple path. You call or submit a form, the program checks inventory, you schedule pickup, and you return the item later.
Ask direct questions before you leave home:
- Is it available now? A website list may not match today’s shelf.
- What size is it? Wheelchairs, shower chairs, beds, and commodes must fit the person.
- What is the weight limit? This is a safety issue, not just a comfort issue.
- Are parts included? Ask about footrests, chargers, buckets, rails, brakes, mattresses, and slings.
- Was it cleaned and checked? Ask how the item was sanitized and inspected.
- Who can pick it up? Some programs let a family member pick up. Others require the borrower.
- Is delivery possible? Ask about distance, cost, stairs, setup, and pickup after use.
For big items, transport can be the main barrier. A free bed is not truly free if no one can move it, set it up, or remove it later. Our transportation help guide may help families think through rides, paratransit, and local support.
Insurance, Medicare, NJ FamilyCare, and long-term care
Community reuse is useful, but it is separate from insurance coverage. If the senior needs equipment for a short recovery, a loan closet may be enough. If the equipment will be needed long term, ask the doctor for the exact order and ask the plan what supplier must be used.
For Medicare questions, New Jersey’s SHIP counseling program provides free health insurance counseling. The statewide SHIP number is 1-800-792-8820. SHIP can help with Medicare coverage questions and denials, but it does not lend equipment.
For NJ FamilyCare, use the state’s NJ FamilyCare contacts page or call 1-800-701-0710. Managed care members should also call their health plan. Ask whether the equipment needs prior authorization, a prescription, a medical supplier, or proof that a reused item is not available.
If the senior needs help with daily tasks, ask about MLTSS, New Jersey’s Medicaid managed long-term services and supports path. This is not only an equipment issue. It may involve care needs, financial rules, clinical screening, and a managed care plan. Seniors who are confused by state sites can use our NJ benefits portals guide to choose the right official site.
Phone scripts that save time
Use exact words. Clear details get better results than saying, “I need medical equipment.”
Script for county aging office
“Hello, I am helping a New Jersey resident age 60 or older in [county]. They need a [specific item] by [date] because [fall risk, discharge, surgery, or mobility need]. Do you know any free or low-cost DME loan closets, reuse programs, or delivery options near [town or ZIP code]?”
Script for the disability referral team
“I am calling for a person with a disability who needs [specific item]. We have tried [county, hospital, or insurance]. Can you help us find assistive technology, DME reuse, loan programs, or local disability resources that serve [county]?”
Script for NJ 211
“I need referrals for free or low-cost medical equipment near [ZIP code]. Please search for loan closets, medical equipment reuse, Goodwill-style programs, faith-based closets, and disability groups. The item needed is [specific item], and the deadline is [date].”
Script for hospital discharge
“Before discharge, I need a safe equipment plan. The person cannot safely [toilet, transfer, bathe, or sleep] at home without [specific item]. Please tell me what equipment is being ordered, who is supplying it, when it will arrive, and what we should do if insurance delays it.”
How to start without wasting time
- Name the exact item. Say “standard wheelchair,” “bariatric rollator,” “raised toilet seat,” “transfer bench,” or “semi-electric hospital bed.”
- Write down the county and ZIP code. New Jersey help often depends on county, town, and pickup distance.
- Call the county office first. Use this route for older adults, caregivers, home supports, and local referrals.
- Call DDS if disability is central. Use this route when the person needs assistive technology, disability navigation, or cross-county help.
- Use NJ 211 after hours. Ask for local equipment closets by ZIP code.
- Check reuse if free loans fail. Goodwill, Back In Action, and the assistive technology network may help.
- Start insurance at the same time. If the item will be needed long term, ask the doctor and plan about coverage right away.
What to gather before you call
- Senior’s county, town, and ZIP code
- Exact equipment needed
- Height, weight, and whether bariatric size is needed
- Doorway, bathroom, stair, and bed measurements
- Whether someone can pick up the item
- Car, SUV, or van space for pickup
- Discharge date or urgent deadline
- Doctor’s order, if insurance may be used
- Insurance card, Medicare card, or NJ FamilyCare plan name
- Caregiver name and phone number
If the need is connected to a ramp, grab bars, bathroom access, or home safety repairs, check our NJ home repair guide. Some families need equipment and home changes at the same time.
Backup options if nothing is nearby
- Ask for the next county. A closet in the next county may be closer than a program on the other side of your own county.
- Ask the hospital social worker. Rehab teams often know closets that are not easy to find online.
- Try disease groups. ALS, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, stroke, and cancer groups may know diagnosis-specific equipment help.
- Try centers for independent living. They may know disability resources, transportation help, and equipment leads.
- Use low-cost reuse. A refurbished item may cost less than retail when free loans are not available.
- Check border programs carefully. The AT3 directory lists nearby state assistive technology programs, but ask if they serve New Jersey residents.
If the need is urgent and the household also needs food, shelter, utilities, rent help, or safety help, our NJ emergency help guide can point you to other fast-start resources.
Reality checks
- There is no single master list. New Jersey families often have to combine county, state, nonprofit, and local routes.
- Inventory changes fast. A walker may be available in the morning and gone by the afternoon.
- Pickup is often the hard part. Ask about delivery early, especially for beds, lifts, scooters, and power chairs.
- Used power equipment needs extra checks. Ask about batteries, charger, tires, brakes, and repair history.
- Some items are not safe to reuse. Oxygen, CPAP machines, nebulizers, catheters, and some mattresses may be restricted.
- Borrowed gear may be a bridge. A free loan can help today while insurance or NJ FamilyCare reviews a long-term request.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting until discharge day to start calling
- Asking for “medical equipment” instead of naming the exact item
- Driving to Bellmawr or a local closet without checking current stock
- Borrowing a wheelchair without checking seat width and weight limit
- Taking a commode or shower chair without asking how it was cleaned
- Forgetting to ask about footrests, chargers, buckets, rails, slings, or mattresses
- Assuming NJ 211 or DDS lends equipment directly
- Stopping at the first “no” instead of asking for nearby counties or disease-specific groups
- Using a loan closet when the senior really needs a long-term insurance order
What to do if denied, delayed, or overwhelmed
- If a loan closet says no: ask, “Who else in this county or nearby counties should I call?”
- If inventory is empty: ask when to call back and whether they know a reuse warehouse or donation exchange.
- If insurance denies: ask for the denial reason in writing. Then call SHIP for Medicare or NJ FamilyCare for Medicaid coverage questions.
- If a doctor order is vague: ask the doctor to write the exact equipment type, size, medical need, and expected length of use.
- If the senior cannot stay safe: call the discharge planner, county aging office, or 211 again and say the person is at risk at home.
Resumen en español
En Nueva Jersey no hay un solo directorio estatal oficial para todos los closets de préstamo de equipo médico duradero. Si la persona tiene 60 años o más, empiece con la oficina de envejecimiento de su condado. También puede llamar a la División de Servicios para Personas con Discapacidades al 1-888-285-3036. Para referencias locales a cualquier hora, marque 211 o mande su código postal al 898-211.
Para equipo usado o de bajo costo, revise Goodwill Home Medical Equipment, Back In Action y el Technology Lending Center. No confunda un préstamo comunitario con cobertura de Medicare o NJ FamilyCare. Si el equipo será necesario por mucho tiempo, pida al médico una orden clara y llame al plan de salud para saber qué proveedor debe usar.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one statewide free medical equipment loan closet in New Jersey?
No. As of 27 May 2026, New Jersey does not appear to have one official statewide public directory only for DME loan closets. Most families need to combine county aging offices, disability referral services, NJ 211, reuse programs, and local nonprofits.
Where should I start if my parent needs a walker or wheelchair this week?
Start with the county aging office if your parent is 60 or older. Call 1-877-222-3737 and ask for urgent medical equipment referrals in the county. Then call DDS and NJ 211 the same day.
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. It may still be useful when free programs have no inventory.
Can NJ FamilyCare or Medicaid reuse equipment?
Yes, for fee-for-service coverage, New Jersey has a DME recycling rule for some medically necessary equipment when recycled equipment is available. Managed care members should call their health plan and NJ FamilyCare for current rules.
What if the senior needs hearing or communication equipment?
Use the assistive technology network and the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Some eligible residents with hearing loss may receive certain communication and visual alerting devices at no cost, but devices depend on funding and availability.
What if I cannot pick up the equipment?
Ask about delivery before you agree to the loan or purchase. Ask the county aging office about transportation leads. For large items, ask who sets it up and who removes it later.
Can I donate equipment after my loved one no longer needs it?
Often yes, but call first. Donation rules vary. Programs may reject oxygen equipment, CPAP machines, nebulizers, mattresses, used medical supplies, broken power equipment, or items that cannot be cleaned safely.
About This Guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
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 guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Verification: Last verified 27 May 2026, next review 27 August 2026.
Corrections: Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we will respond within 72 hours.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the official program before acting.
Last updated: 27 May 2026
Next review: 27 August 2026
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