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Dec 20, 2021 · There is nothing really wrong with donating to Goodwill or other donation chains like the Arc or the Salvation Army. They certainly need donations and merchandise. However, if you are a mom who is purging your child’s seasonal clothes and used toys (and maybe some of your items), there are other places to donate them where they will have a bigger impact and …
Sep 22, 2021 · 1. Trusted National + Local Charities There are a ton of charities out there and, quite honestly, it can be overwhelming. One of the most popular and trusted charities is Toys For Tots . They’re run by the US Marines and will provide toys directly to children in need – and they also have a pretty easy to use financial donation tool as well.
There are plenty of charities that will accept your gently used toys and distribute them to their various networks. Two of the most recognizable charities known for taking toy donations are the Salvation Army and Goodwill. But you want to call your local branch just to confirm that it’s accepting toy donations.
Apr 09, 2021 · Sites like Freecycle and the free section on Craigslist can be great places to donate used toys. Many families would love to have more toys for their children, but it’s just not in the budget. As with other sites, be sure the toys are …
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.
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.
First gift any of your child’s clothes to friends or family with children younger than yours. They should appreciate it considering how quickly babies, toddlers and children get too big for clothes.
There is a foster care agency in your county and they need anything they can get their hands on. Children and teens are in their care around the clock, and foster families continually need items for a variety of ages. Call your local hospitality department to inquire about the status of their donation and what they need.
There are plenty of charities that will accept your gently used toys and distribute them to their various networks. Two of the most recognizable charities known for taking toy donations are the Salvation Army and Goodwill. But you want to call your local branch just to confirm that it’s accepting toy donations.
Have you seen any toys in your local hospital? People likely donated them. Many hospitals will accept toy donations to keep kids entertained in the waiting room or for their young patients to play with while they’re in the hospital.
People often overlook shelters for the homeless and women’s shelters as toy donation sites. But these locations often have children with very few possessions, not to mention toys. Children who visit these shelters will feel more at ease when they have toys to occupy themselves.
If you have plenty of lightly used toys in your basement or attic, they’ll likely find better use in a daycare center than gathering dust in a closet somewhere in your house. With so many kids to entertain, daycare centers go through toys quickly. You’ll rarely find one that doesn’t need more toys.
Local religious centers often provide childcare services to a variety of children during facility events and religious services. They’ll have kids of all ages, from newborns to school-age kids. Contact your nearest religious centers to inquire about what they need.
Firefighters and police officers will often carry toys, primarily stuffed animals, to comfort children at the scene of traumatic events. And these departments generally depend on donations from the public to provide this service. So, call your local fire department and ask whether you could drop off some gently used toys.
If the toys you’re looking to dispose of are worn, soiled, or in poor condition, consider recycling them. Contact your local recycling center and see if they take toys because it’s not always apparent that they will. Alternatively, check out TerraCycle. They have a partnership with Hasbro to recycle old toys for free.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
DonationTown.org will help you connect with a charity in your area that will pick up your items from you at a convenient time. It is a fast, free service for you and for the charity. This is a particularly useful service when you have multiple boxes of donations, or larger items (furniture, mattresses, electronics or computer equipment) that you’re unable to haul on your own. DonationTown.org will help you find a charity that will arrange to pick these times up from you.
You can support charities like the Humane Society, Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, Good Samaritan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, or Hope Services. Many of these charities will pick up donations from your doorstep.
And sometimes, it’s these little things that can make a big difference for a child. Donate a teddy bear for a child to cuddle up to at night. Donate a floppy-eared bunny to make naptime more comfortable. Donate a set of dolls for girls to play dress-up and pretend. Donate a stuffed animal that will reassure a little one during the school day.