Donating used toys and books

[MEGADAN]

I know this isn't exactly a thread about saving money but I live in NJ and I have been looking for a charity to donate used books and toys. I have searched on-line and Lupus won't pick up in my area and the Veteran's Association directed me to send an email and never responded.
I really would like to see these toys and books go to someone who needs them. I can't understand why no one wants them.
If anyone can recommend a few places, I would be happy to look into them.
Thanks

 

[holycow]

Check your local library or school library. They may want the books.

Toys do you have a boys and girls club near by?

 

[pandaroo]

Donate the books to your local library. Take all toys with all pieces to Goodwill.

 

[hffmnheidi]

Try a local daycare/child care center. We love getting donations because it gives the kids toys that we don't have or supplements our classroom teaching supplies with the "new" books.

 

[quentina]

I know this isn't exactly a thread about saving money but I live in NJ and I have been looking for a charity to donate used books and toys. I have searched on-line and Lupus won't pick up in my area and the Veteran's Association directed me to send an email and never responded.
I really would like to see these toys and books go to someone who needs them. I can't understand why no one wants them.
If anyone can recommend a few places, I would be happy to look into them.
Thanks

Look into the Women and Children shelter. I donate every year (gently used or looks new). They love it. I also give clothes and participate in the Christmas gift program. Some of these Mom's literally leave their homes with the clothes on their back and nothing else.

 

[Sadie22]

When my oldest was in elementary school there was a book swap at his school. A child could bring a book and exchange it for another. Some children said they had no books to swap. It was so easy to go to garage sales and buy books cheaply to stock the swap so that books could be given to those children to start them off.

When my sons were high school age I donated a lot of books to one's former elementary school. I asked the principal and media center specialist about donations. I told them I had boxes full of books which were age-appropriate and in like-new condition except for those in which the boys' names were written. They took all I wanted to give. The principal asked me to put a value on the donatioin which he included in a thank you letter in case I wanted to include this as a charitable donation for income tax purposes. The books were added to the media center collection and/or distributed to classroom teachers for use in classroom instruction or free reading periods.

 

[mjkacmom]

Our red cross and thrift shop takes that stuff. The VETS will pick it up, if you have clothing as well (but who knows what they do with it).

 

[delmar411]

Look into the Women and Children shelter. I donate every year (gently used or looks new). They love it. I also give clothes and participate in the Christmas gift program. Some of these Mom's literally leave their homes with the clothes on their back and nothing else.

^^ This. The shelter here is always happy to take any type of donations and they are always in need of books/toys for the kids.

 

[jlima]

Donate the books to your local library. Take all toys with all pieces to Goodwill.

Your Goodwill may also want the books; they can sell them in their stores or if they have an online bookstore, sell them on the Internet.

 

[tlbwriter]

Two or three churches in our area run thrift shops and they'd be thrilled to have them - why don't you call around to churches, or organizations that help disadvantaged people, and ask if they know of anyone who accepts such donations?

 

[phamy76]

Our local library has book sales 4 x / year and they are always looking for books to be donated. They sell the kids books for .25 each and they need a ton to make decent $$.

If the toys are in good condition, contact your local "in home" day care center. Maybe a stay at home mom that watches kids during the day could use some new toys.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I always donate to the vets. They will take toys, clothes, electronics, kitchen supplies and small furniture.

Here is the website for Vietnam Veterans donations.
http://www.clothingdonations.org/service.htm

 

[3boys4me]

I have a hard time finding someone to take our toys. Our goodwill won't take them ever since the lead paint scare a few years ago. Good luck, i hope you find someone that will appreciate your donations.

 

[sbpebbles]

Look into the Women and Children shelter. I donate every year (gently used or looks new). They love it. I also give clothes and participate in the Christmas gift program. Some of these Mom's literally leave their homes with the clothes on their back and nothing else.

I agree--look into any kind of shelter, they are usually more than happy to accept items...I recently took a bunch of my kids older toys that they no longer play with and asked if our local women's shelter if they could use them and they happily accepted..as someone already mentioned the women and children who generally end up there have very little they come with..

 

[3boymthr]

Places I've had success donating toys and books:

Boys & Girls Club - you can go online to their website and arrange a pick up

My local pre-school/daycare

the Elementary School - our teachers love love love to get gently used books and board games for use during indoor recess - just make sure that all the pieces are there. Our cubscouts pack held a charity yard sale and had a ton of puzzles and board games left over after (approx 50 puzzles, 50 board games and a 30 gallon bin of books). One of our members is a teacher and she took them to the school and they were put in the auditorium for other teachers to take. They were gone within 15 minutes.

The town Recreation Department - likes to get games for use on rainy days at the community center and during summer camp

The Y/YMCA - if they have a daycare center they love to get toys and games.

For the books you can also try your local library. Ours holds a booksale every spring and loves to get used books to sell. They use the money to buy things like passes to the local museums.

 

[Arielt]

I would suggest something list St. Jude's or a children's hospital. Some of those families are there for months and the children would love to have something new to read or play with. I love the suggestion of women's and children's center. If neither of those work for you maybe you could contact your local fire department and see if they know of any families that could use them.

 

[QVCshopper]

If you are on the Philly side of NJ, I gave almost EVERYTHING to this charity: Cradles to Crayons. http://cradlestocrayons.org/

They even took potties, sheets, towels, toys -- all cleaned by me-- (everything but underwear/socks and stuffed animals). It's a very nice charity with great volunteers. They are in Boston, too.

Ever since the used law was passed, Goodwill and other charities have to throw out toys that aren't in great condition; stuffed animals are only kept if their eyes are sewn on. I also found a charity thift store in Collegeville, PA that takes nearly everything. It's called Liberty Thrift--a great place to buy used items as well.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We took books to the local Department of Socail Services. There are often long waits and lots of children around and they were trilled to get them.

 

[it's kelly]

I would suggest the Ronald McDonald house. I'm not sure where in NJ you are located but there are a few RMD houses in your state. You would have to drop them off, but with many children who can not be outside I'm sure they would put the books/games to use.

 

[MEGADAN]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I have placed everything in separate bags now so I have boxes of Books, bags of stuffed animals, boxes of toys and bags of clothing.
I made a few phone calls but because of the holiday, I will have to wait until Tuesday to see if anyone will take it.
I will keep you posted. thanks again.