Charity thrift stores such as Goodwill and The Salvation Army accept toys and then put them on the store floor for others to buy. Any proceeds they collect from the sale of the toys is put back into programs that benefit the needy right in your own community.
Another deserving type of charity that could use old toys are those that offer children a familiar object in times of emergency. Both Loving Hugs and Stuffed Animals for Emergencies give stuffed toys to kids in crisis situations, whether it’s a natural disaster or while taking an ambulance ride.
Then, you must specifically donate to a tax-exempt organization. If you’re not sure if a facility can claim exempt organization status, check the IRS EO Select Check tool. Then, ask the organization for a donation receipt when you drop off the toys – you’ll need it for your tax records.
Don’t Attempt to Give Used Toys to Hospitals. While they may be able to use a few books and clean items in a waiting room, there are strict hygiene guidelines that must be adhered to when it comes to having toys in patients’ rooms. If you want to donate toys, new items – with tags – are best. Don’t Wrap Toys.
If you know of a shelter or children’s charity in your area, there’s a good chance that it accepts toy donations. After all, kids will be kids, and children who visit shelters can feel more at ease when there are toys nearby. You just need to call ahead, as some charities won’t accept toy donations.
You can use a site such as Freecycle to post items that you’d like to give away. Just be wary of posting personal details, and never share your address. Instead, meet people in public places, such as the parking lot of a supermarket, to hand off the items.
Churches are tax-exempt organizations, so you can claim a deduction if you donate old toys to a church nursery. Many religious organizations offer daycares or nurseries to their parishioners, and since the service is often low-cost or free, they’re often in need of toys.
There are so many charities that will accept gently used toys and distribute them throughout their networks. For example, thrift-store organizations like Goodwill and The Salvation Army will resell toys in their shops and use the profits to support their charitable work. You could also give to Toys for Tots, the United States Marine Corps Reserve-run program that gives donated toys to children in need. Toys for Tots hosts popular toy drives around the holidays, but they also accept gently used toys year-round. Cradles to Crayons is another organization that accepts new and nearly new toys to benefit low-income families.
Hospitals. Many hospitals will accept donated toys for their young patients to play with, or to keep children entertained in the waiting room; the same thing goes for doctor's offices. But keep in mind: If you want to donate toys to your local children's hospital, they must be new.
Police officers and firefighters often carry stuffed animals and other small toys with them to comfort children at the scenes of traumatic events, and their supply of toys sometimes depends on donations. Reach out to your local police and fire departments to see if they're accepting donations right now.
If you've ever been to a day-care center, you know that they go through toys quickly. That's why if you have a ton of lightly used toys to donate, you might contact a center in your area to see if they're able to give your items a second life.
While you might consider simply throwing those old toys in the trash, there are plenty of kids who would love to receive them. And at the very least, you can help them avoid the landfill. Here are all the places you can donate gently used toys, including electronics, stuffed animals, dolls and other items.
March 17, 2021. You probably have several of the kids’ toys collecting dust at home and want to get rid of them through a donation. Luckily, there are many non-profit organizations in the US that will be happy to receive the old toys of your little ones. In case you have a significant number of toys to donate, some charities allow you ...
Donation Town is basically a donation pickup search engine. You’re able to easily discover nearby charities that can pick up your toy donation. With that said, the site is not perfect as they possibly miss some charities that do offer free pickup.
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to needy children. You’re probably familiar with the toy drives they do during the holiday season, which they’re famous for. The program accept toy donations year round at many locations throughout the US.
Ronald McDonald House is a charity whose mission is to create and support programs that directly improves the well-being of children and their families. The organization helps alleviate some financial burdens for families with sick kids who are away from home by offering free lodging and meals. Since they typically house the entire family, toys are always needed to entertain the little ones.
This is a Christian charity whose mission is to meet human needs without discrimination in every way possible. They offer various programs that benefit the community including disaster relief, homeless shelters, adult rehabilitation and summer camps for kids. The organization also provides Christmas gifts to needy families and children during the holiday season.
Big Brothers Big Sisters. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a charity organization that strives to change the lives of young people facing adversity to the better. The organization matches each enrolled child with a volunteer mentor who’s well suited to their needs.
Vietnam Veterans of America. This is a nonprofit corporation that is committed to serving the needs of all veterans in the US. They provide several services like veterans claims assistance, financial advising and job placement plus outreach programs for homelessness, substance abuse, educational advancement and more.
Doctor’s offices need toys to keep children occupied in the waiting room or even as a reward for making it through a checkup. So you could help out by donating toys.
The Marine Toys for Tots is a program that gives children free Christmas toys. By donating, you put presents under the tree of a less fortunate child on Christmas morning.
Second Chance Toys is an awesome organization that exists to provide toys to kids in low-income households, particularly the ones living at or below the poverty level. You can donate any plastic toy that has all of its parts and batteries.
Like LetGo, OfferUp is an online marketplace where you can buy stuff and sell stuff to people near you and also ship items. OfferUp does have a section just for free stuff as well. You could list your toys on there and give them away to someone who needs them.
This is an awesome national 501 (c) (3) nonprofit dedicated to helping military families so they can thrive. They help military families with anything from rent and mortgage to utilities, groceries and foods as well as toys for their kids. Visit their website to contact them to see about donating your kid’s gently used toys (or brand new toys) to military families in your area.
Again, 5miles is an online marketplace for selling a range of items locally. But it also has a section just for free stuff where you can list your gently used toys. 13. Craigslist. Another site where you can donate stuff to people nearby is Craigslist. Sure, the site is mostly known as a place to buy and sell stuff.
Stuffed Animals for Emergencies is a wonderful organization that does just as its name suggests – it provides stuffed animals for children to cuddle in times of emergency. Having a stuffed toy to cuddle can help children to feel safe during times like natural disasters or during an ambulance ride, for example. 9.
Stuffed Animals For Emergencies (SAFE for short) is a charity that gives stuffed animals to children in emergency situations. Such as children who are involved in a domestic violence incident, a house fire, car accident, or other traumatic event. You can donate gently used stuffed animals to SAFE.
Domestic violence shelters act as temporary housing while parents work to set up a safe living situation away from their abuser. 8. Resale Stores.
Many metropolitan cities have emergency childcare services – often called crisis nurseries – for parents who are in a bind and need occasional child care. For instance, if a parent is trying to get help for addiction, or move, or something similar, they can find childcare for a specified amount of time.
The Salvation Army has thrift stores located throughout the United States. Besides toys, the Salvation Army accepts clothing, furniture, automobiles, and more. Note that not all Salvation Army thrift stores or home pickup trucks accept all types of toys or stuffed animals.
There were a few articles that said U.S. Marines Toys For Tots program accepts used toys as well. According to this webpage, that hasn’t been the case since 1980. The Toys For Tots website said that distributing used toys to some children was giving them the wrong message that they weren’t worthy of new toys, while kids who received new toys were more deserving.
Laurie Blank is a blogger, freelance writer, and mother of four. She’s psyched about teaching others how to manage their money in a way that aligns with their values and has been quoted in Bankrate.
Goodwill Industries has been providing help for those in need for over 100 years. When you donate used toys to a Goodwill thrift store, you’ll help Goodwill raise money. The money it raises goes to help the community in a variety of different ways. They help people find jobs, meet their financial needs, and more.
DonationTown.org will help you locate a charity in your community that will accept your new and gently used toy donations. Many local charities have Toys for Tots programs and welcome your new and gently used toy donations year-round.
Most charities welcome toy donations of all kinds. (Please do not, however, donate broken toys or toys with parts missing.) Donate sporting equipment and beach toys. Donate dolls, donate Barbies, donate stuffed animals in good condition. Donate action figures, donate dress-up costumes, donate puzzles.
If you have other items, in addition to used toys, that you would like to donate to charity, DonationTown.org will help you find a charity in your area that will accept your donations AND help you schedule a fast, free pick-up of your items.
It only takes a few minutes of your time. DonationTown.org has made it easier than ever for you to connect to a nearby charity in order to donate used toys. Donating new and used toys is fast, free, and sure to bring big smiles to the faces of little ones in your community.