About Midwest Veterans Closet

Midwest Veterans Closet is a veterans and active duty military service organization that enhances the lives of veterans, active-duty military, and their families through its pantry and retail goods program located on Green Bay Road in North Chicago.

At our location, veterans and active-duty military personnel will find a unique food pantry and retail goods shopping experience where they can shop for free. We carry a selection of new and gently used goods that includes everything from men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing to small kitchen appliances and necessities to food and cleaning items for your home. Our vision for serving our clients is that veterans and the military community will be able to find advocates for their well-being, served with the kind of dignity and empathy that is befitting those who have served our country.

Who We Serve

Many assume that veterans are cared for beyond their military service.  Unless they serve until full retirement that is not the case. Active military only receive their full pay benefits when they are deployed. Spouses of active military often struggle to find meaningful employment. Day care costs often make working outside the home cost prohibitive. Many veterans, active duty military, and their families need to supplement their income through social assistance programs. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that 1.2 Million Veterans live in a household that participates in the Supplemental Assistance Nutritional Program (SNAP). 

Midwest Veterans Closet is here to support this community. We provide a food pantry where once a week our clients can choose their own groceries from 11:00am-3:00pm on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. This is unique among other supplemental food programs, as typically there is a prescribed distribution that happens less frequently. 

Another way that Midwest Veterans Closet is unique among veteran’s agencies is its household goods shop, which is open to our clients on every day of the week. Shoppers will find clothing, bedroom items, small appliances, and all manner of items that can enhance their living situation in practical ways.

We’re proud to offer this level of flexibility and dignity to our patrons and hope that you’ll find this holistic approach to practical caregiving as invigorating as we do!

The story of Midwest Veterans Closet is inspiring. In 2014, our founder, Mary Carmody, was waiting at the Waukegan Township office for a Seniors community meeting when a man came in to inquire about assistance getting food. The man walked in the rain all the way from Zion and was soaking wet and hungry. Mary and her friend, Carrie Price, were able to find some snacks to share and Mary gave the man $5.00 to purchase a meal. During their time together, Mary learned that the man was a veteran and he shared with her his story of struggling to have enough to eat.

It was in this moment that Mary saw the need to create an organization that would provide assistance to veterans whose income was not sufficient to provide for even their basic human needs. She started Impacting Veterans Lives, Inc. and began operating as Midwest Veterans Closet out of a small donated trailer. Mary soon learned that the needs extended beyond just food, and expanded to household goods and clothing.

Eventually she found a 500-square foot office space on Green Bay Road in North Chicago and moved her operation to that location. She was able to expand to about 1000 square feet but it was clear that Midwest Veterans Closet needed to more space to meet the needs of the veteran and active military community.

With the support of a grant from the state of Illinois, Mary was able to acquire the property at 1720 Green Bay Road. The property consisted of a pole barn and two residential homes. In 2023 Mary, along with her Board of Directors, began plans for the development of the site. The city of North Chicago ultimately approved a PUD for the site which allowed for a new building to house current operations as well as 3 additional buildings for future expansion. 

In 2024, we broke ground on our new building. In July of 2025 we moved into that new 4,850 square foot building, expanding the amount of items that we’re able to collect and distribute to veterans and active-duty military personnel. We look forward to the future that we can establish here.