Med Shed Kit · Building first

Get the equipment out of the garage and back into use.

The Med Shed Kit is a low-cost app and starter kit for med sheds and donor closets. Neighbors donate what they no longer need, volunteers log and clean it in minutes, and people who need it can find it nearby.

Start a med shed with us What's in the kit

What is a med shed?

A med shed is a local place, often a church shed, a senior center closet or a spare room, that collects donated home medical equipment and supplies and passes them on to neighbors who need them. Many small towns already have one, usually run by a few dedicated volunteers.

They solve a real problem. After a surgery or an illness, a family suddenly needs a shower chair or a walker for a few weeks. Meanwhile, the same equipment sits unused in other people's garages after it's no longer needed.

The hard part isn't finding equipment. It's knowing what you have, where it is, and whether it will fit.

What's in the kit

A simple phone app plus a setup guide, so a small volunteer group can open a med shed and keep it running.

  1. Snap a photo

    A volunteer photographs a donated item. AI identifies it and writes the description and search words.

  2. Label and track

    Equipment gets a QR label. Supplies like dressings are tracked by photo in and photo out, no stickers needed.

  3. Clean and measure

    Cleaning checkoffs and simple measuring guides, like a wheelchair's outside width so you know it fits through the bathroom door.

  4. Donor receipts

    Donors get a receipt by email, text or print at drop-off. No medical information is ever collected.

Where it stands: we're building the app now, during the Automate to Accelerate program, and plan to pilot it with a couple of med sheds first.

Starting a new med shed? The kit includes a setup guide for finding a space, recruiting volunteers and spreading the word.

Cost: the kit will be low cost, priced to cover QR label printing and app development. We're seeking grants to make it free for communities.

Common items: shower chairs, tub benches, walkers, canes, crutches, wheelchairs, bedside commodes, raised toilet seats, grab bars and reachers.

How it connects to GrantDirect

Clinicians will be able to search med sheds within about 15 miles of a patient and put an item on hold for pickup. When a request comes through GrantDirect, nearby med sheds are checked first, so the patient gets help sooner and grant dollars go further. We only buy new when nothing suitable is available.

Holds carry only the clinician's name and agency, never patient information. Med sheds that use the kit stay independent, and sharing inventory with GrantDirect will always be optional.

  • Reuse before buying new
  • Faster help for patients
  • Less equipment in landfills
  • Grant dollars stretch further

Start a med shed, or help build the kit

We're building the first kit now and want to learn from people who already run med sheds, and from groups who'd like to start one.

Churches, senior centers, Rotary and Lions clubs, social workers, home health teams and handy volunteers are all welcome.

Please don't include any patient information.

Thank you! Please check your email to confirm, and we'll be in touch.