When a patient at Northwest Kidney Centers’ Kent clinic mentioned in passing that he needed clothes for his children, it sparked something bigger than anyone expected.
That simple comment, shared with social worker Candace Cruz, led to an idea: what if the clinic could host a free thrift store-style clothing drive for its patients?
Cruz teamed up with dietitians Beth Ingersoll and Amy Higbee to bring the idea to life.
“When we looked into local resources, we found there wasn’t much available for clothing, especially not for free,” Ingersoll said.
Together, the Kent team decided to host a free thrift store-style clothing drive – a place where patients could browse and take what they needed, no questions asked.
In just under a month, the team moved from idea to action. They pitched the concept to a group of nurses, social workers and dietitians at the clinic, and quickly gained support. They started gathering donations, and a box in the staff break room at the clinic quickly filled up with clothes from coworkers, neighbors and community members.
“I just messaged my friends it was a great excuse to clean out their closets,” Amy Higbee said.
Before long, they had collected eight large storage totes full of shirts, pants, sweatshirts, gloves, and more.
The team transformed the clinic’s conference room into a pop-up clothing shop. Originally intended to run for two days, the store stayed open for a full week due to strong patient interest. The setup allowed patients to pick out items discreetly and at their own pace. Grocery bags were also provided, adding to the store-like feel.
Patients learned of the event from posters displayed throughout the clinic and reminders from staff. An estimated 30 patients visited the store throughout the week.
One longtime patient, Krista Chavers, was able to pick out three bags of clothes filled with scarves, shirts, and gloves during her shopping spree.
“I really needed the clothes, so I was happy when I saw the posters about the clothing drive,” Chavers said. “It was a great thing the clinic did, and I hope there are more [clothing] drives in the future.”
By the end of the week, half of the donations had been picked up. The remaining clothes didn’t go to waste; they were passed along to other NKC clinics, where staff have been inspired to try similar events. Renton hosted its version next, with Federal Way East and Scribner clinics also planning their own. Candace helped spread the word through her social work team meetings and helped bring the leftover donations to the other clinics.
“The fact that we were able to start a trend and help our patients was very cool,” Candace said.
Why it matters
Many patients live in adult family homes or lack transportation and support systems. A free, in-clinic resource like this gives patients more than just clothes. It gives them care, dignity, and support they might otherwise not have.
“Anytime we can do something for our patients, we always feel great about it,” Candace said.
The effort also reflected the strong culture of collaboration at the Kent clinic and the community around it. While the event was a trial run, Kent staff are open to doing it again.
“Our population here really has a higher need,” Ingersoll said. “It just felt like an area that we could help, and we’d love to make it an annual event.”