FAQs About Donating Stuffed Animals to Charity

As anyone with children knows, kids tend to collect a lot of stuffed animal friends. If your child has outgrown his or her stuffed animals, or you need to clear out a few to make room for new arrivals, you may want to donate these toys to charity. Sometimes you may find that charity thrift stores like the Salvation Army or Goodwill are overwhelmed with stuffed animal donations. Fortunately, there are many other organizations that can find a loving home for your child's old friends.

Q: What kind of stuffed animals can you donate?

A: You can donate almost any kind of stuffed animal that was recently made. You should not donate any toy that is broken, dirty or worn from too much love, and you may want to avoid donating most handmade toys. Keep your handmade toys as heirlooms.

Q: Where can you donate stuffed animals locally?

A: Call your local police or fire station to see if they accept gently-used stuffed animals. Often these first responders like to have a few toys on hand to comfort traumatized children they see in the course of their duties. Check with homeless or battered women's shelters to see if they can use the toys for the children they serve.

Q: Are there any other organizations that you can donate to?

A: Stuffed Animals For Emergencies (SAFE) and Project Night Night are two worthy organizations that accept stuffed animals. SAFE provides animals to emergency services such as police, firefighters, hospitals and the like. They have a website at www.stuffedanimalsforemergencies.org. Project Night Night puts together care packages for homeless children that include a security blanket, children's book and stuffed animal. Their website is www.projectnightnight.org.