AURORA, Colo. — As the seasons change, so do the needs of patients at HCA HealthONE’s Mental Health and Wellness Center in Aurora. Recognizing a significant gap in patient care, Judith Wilson, a registered nurse, and Shelley Ilangikwa, a clinical therapist, created the Clothing Closet Project to ensure that everyone leaves the facility equipped with appropriate clothing for the weather.
“We saw that for the patients that we were both discharging, it was insufficient clothing all year round,” Wilson said. “We saw the need, and we decided to provide a solution for it.”
Launched in 2024, the project thrives on donations from hospital staff and the community, gathering clothes for all seasons, like warm winter coats, light jackets, summer attire, shoes and sandals.
“We just wanted to be able to provide the patients with clothes that met every season,” Ilangikwa said. “I'm very proud that we are able to help others. It turned out to be more than we even expected that we would get.”
“The last thing we want them to worry about is clothing,” Wilson said. “Clothing is a basic need. It brings self-esteem, worthiness, and dignity, and we felt like our patients deserve that.”
The closet is utilized just about every single day. Since it began operation about a year ago, they have distributed over 1,000 articles of clothing, in addition to accessories like shoes, hats and socks.
Patients are not allowed to browse the clothing closet themselves, but case managers gather the clothes for them after finding out what their patients need.
The duo expects their project to be helping patients for as long as the hospital exists.
“Ten years from now, the clothing closet will be thriving with just as much passion, with just as much giving, as it is today,” Wilson said. “It just brings the humanistic perspective into everything that we do here and what it means to treat mental health.”
