All it takes is a heart

All you need is a heart to be a part of the Diseases and Disabilities Advocates Riding Club, which aims to help the Coeur d'Alene community one jacket at a time.

It started as just a group of friends who wanted to help the community and loved to ride motorcycles, DDARC founder Debby Carlson said. Since founding the nonprofit organization last year, the group has grown to about 20 members and opened a Hayden storefront.

Debby and her husband, Daren, founded DDARC with their inner circle Shannon Edwards, James "T-bear" Parrish, and Sarra Gray. Carlson said every member of the club relates to its diseases and disabilities mission, which deepens their connection to the families they help.

"We started the club because there was nothing else like it, and we wanted to help people with diseases, disabilities, and others in need," Debby Carlson said. "Shannon has a rare syndrome, Sarra has ADHD, OCD, and other disorders, I have ADHD. We also all have families with major auto-immune diseases, cancer, and diabetes."

Besides cruising Idaho's beautiful roads, DDARC's leading venture is a consignment clothing store that provides free clothes to families in need. Although it only opened Sept. 19, the group's already helped 25 families.

Due to the pandemic, the club said they've seen many families come into the store.

"There are a lot of people that need extra help," DDARC Vice President James "T-bear" Parrish said. "We've had people who have lost their homes come in, and we just want to try and help any way we can."

When the DDARC started collecting clothes, Carlson said she never expected to have so much so quickly. Their Hayden Avenue store is packed with men and women's clothes.

"We have clothes in every nook and cranny, they're hidden under tables, and we probably have 100 coats in the closet," Carlson said. "We even have a whole rack of brand new boutique jeans that were donated to us by Sheila Jaynes of Fresh Threads. We couldn't thank her enough."

Customers make appointments through DDARC's Closet Store Facebook Page to come into the store. Each family member can take home two pairs of pants, three shirts, one pair of shoes and other specialized supplies.

The group is also planning fundraisers to expand its community reach. Last Christmas, DDARC helped three disabled and diseased families by paying electricity bills, offering car maintenance, donating a $500 grocery gift card, and buying Christmas presents.

"We were floored by one of the mothers of a 12-year-old girl, who said she wished her daughter would forget Dec. 25 because she didn't have the money to get her anything," Daren Carlson said.

While they are starting small, Parrish said they hope to help 50 families one day.

Besides a few donations, DDARC was funded by the members' own time and money. Their first fundraiser on Sept. 19 was a chili cook-off, which raised over $1,300, said Shannon Edwards, club treasurer.

"We seriously thought we were going to have 10 people show up, and there were so many people that I started crying," Debby Carlson said. "It was amazing to see so many people that care."

Proceeds of the chili feed are going back into the group's upcoming coat-drive, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner auctions, and helping more families this Christmas, Carlson said.

"Last year we helped the three families at Christmas, and we had not one penny, we did it all out of our own pockets," she said, "I can't even imagine what we will be able to do this year with this money."

On Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the club plans to pass out free coats and cocoa at their storefront at 1016 W. Hayden Ave.

As they grow, Carlson hopes they can host more rides and auctions so the club can help more families.

"We're all fortunate, all of us, and we want to make sure that every person feels as fortunate as we are," Carlson said.

Community support for the closet has been the most surprising factor to the club, who say they often get multiple donations a day. Carlson said they are always open to receiving more clothes for all ages and sizes.

"When people come in here, they are thankful but also surprised. They don't expect this much, and it's really a gift," Parrish said. "With everything that goes into this business, you just have to have a heart and love others, that's the biggest thing."