Less than a year after opening care closets at two Kettering Health locations, Coats for a Cure is preparing to expand to Dayton Children’s Hospital while continuing to meet increasing patient needs.
Founded by Kettering Health radiation therapists Jessica Schwab, Zack Gregus and Crystal Bullock, the nonprofit provides new clothing and other essential items to patients facing hardship.
Through care closets at Soin Medical Center and Kettering Health Main Campus, team members can quickly provide clothing and other essentials when needs are identified during treatment, hospitalization or discharge planning.
To support existing closets and future expansion, Coats for a Cure will host its second annual Founders Event from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Bossler Mansion, 136 S. Dutoit St. in Dayton. The event will feature live music, food, raffles and prizes, with proceeds supporting the nonprofit’s ongoing efforts. Additional event information is available at the nonprofit’s website.
The fundraiser comes at a pivotal time, as Coats for a Cure prepares to expand while keeping existing closets stocked year-round.
“We didn’t expect it to be as highly utilized as it has been,” said Gregus, who helps oversee the Main Campus care closet with Bullock. “When it’s been warmer outside, people still need clothes. People are still using the care closets at both centers.”
While the nonprofit is preparing for expansion today, Bullock said its original goal was much simpler.
“It really was just seeing patients at the point of care,” Bullock said. “The vision was really to meet an immediate need that we were seeing in our own clinics.”
Schwab said the organization’s reach has expanded as more employees have become aware of the resource.
“What I’ve noticed across both closets as the year’s gone on and people know that this resource is there, every unit in the hospital is using these at both locations,” said Schwab, who manages the Soin Medical Center’s care closet. “Anything from the ICU to the ER.”
As more hospital departments began utilizing the closets, demand continued to rise. The nonprofit recently replenished inventory after supplies of frequently used items, including sweatpants, began running low despite the typically slower summer months.
The effort reflects Kettering Health’s mission to live God’s love by promoting and restoring health through whole-person care. While Coats for a Cure remains volunteer-led, the nonprofit’s founders said support from Kettering Health leaders and team members has helped increase awareness of the resource throughout both hospitals.
Schwab credited Soin Medical Center President Paul Hoover and other supporters across Kettering Health with helping raise awareness of the closets and connect more patients with available resources.
“The next step is going to Children’s,” Schwab said.
The new closet is expected to open this fall and will serve pediatric patients and families. Dayton Children’s staff will help manage inventory and day-to-day operations while working alongside Coats for a Cure to keep needed clothing available.
The organization is also exploring opportunities for future expansion within Kettering Health. In addition to Dayton Children’s, discussions continue regarding a potential clothing closet at Kettering Health Dayton.
For Gregus, the mission remains simple.
“We want to serve the whole patient,” he said. “We want the patient, when they come to Kettering and they have unmet needs, we don’t want to send them away cold.”
To learn more about Coats for a Cure, donate, learn about volunteer opportunities or find information about the Sept. 18 Founders Event, visit coatsforacure.org.
