Does Goodwill/Salvation Army Take Used Toy Donations?

If you have toys that have been lying around that your kids no longer use then rather than throwing them in the trash why not give them away to be used again? Donating toys to Salvation Army, Goodwill, or other nonprofits is a great way to give an extra life to your items but do they take used toys? Both Goodwill and the Salvation Army accept used toy donations. As with all donations that you would make to a charity you will want to make sure that the items you are donating are not broken and are clean as well. Some stores might not be accepting donations at certain times so it is always best to call ahead to see what your local store’s donation policy is. My local store recently started taking donations again a few months ago and they changed their donation drop off procedures. The last time I was there they had bins outside for people to separate their donations into. It used to be that I could drop off an assortment of items together in a box but now they want them separated into bins. Not every store is doing this so it might be best to call ahead to find out how best to donate your used toys. Goodwill and Salvation Army stores are thrift stores with a purpose. Goodwill helps people with disabilities who might otherwise struggle finding and keeping a job to find employment and they even have a job coaching program. Goodwill Industries will assist anyone who is experiencing barriers to obtain a living wage. They’ll assist refugees and immigrants who might have language barriers, people who do not have any work experience, veterans who might be having a difficult time adjusting to civilian life and the civilian workforce, as well as those who have struggled with addiction, unstable housing, or have been incarcerated. Goodwill is so much more than a thrift store. The Salvation Army is a Christian based organization which helps “people without discrimination”. They do the angel trees at Christmas to help families give their children Christmas gifts that they otherwise might not receive. They assist with job training and offer food pantries. They have after school programs, summer camps, they help families fleeing from domestic violence, and so much more. Both of these organizations use their thrift stores to help raise the funds that they need to offer the support which they provide the communities that they are a part of. They rely on donations from the community to supply their stores with merchandise. What Things Shouldn’t You Donate To Thrift Stores? Donating toys (or anything) to thrift stores is a great gesture however you shouldn’t donate anything and everything that you have. Some things should be thrown away rather than trying to donate them. You shouldn’t donate toys or other items that are missing pieces or are broken in any manner. This goes for toys, clothes, electronics, etc. Kids will usually play with just about anything but even they don’t want a broken toy. Most kids will stop playing with their own toys once they break so they’re not going to want to buy a broken toy from a thrift store. So by donating broken items all you are doing is making more work for the thrift store as they have to throw them away. Any toys that have battery acid should not be donated either. Battery acid is harmful so you don’t want to donate any toys that have acid on them. Puzzles that are missing pieces should also not be donated. Putting together a puzzle can be a fun and relaxing project for a rainy day but it can be extremely frustrating to spend all that time putting a puzzle together just to find there are pieces missing. Coloring books that are already mostly colored don’t need to be donated. Kids want to be able to color the pages themselves, they don’t want to get a coloring book that is already filled with someone else’s colors. If you’re planning to take your old or unwanted toys to Goodwill or Salvation Army, make sure that it is something that you wouldn’t mind spending money on yourself. Personally, I wipe toys down with disinfectant wipes or throw stuffed animals into the washer before I donate them. I know how little kids like to immediately hug toys that they find and I want them to be clean for them. If you have battery operated toys that you plan to donate, please remove the batteries beforehand. There is no telling how long those toys might sit on the shelves before they find a new home. How Do You Clean Stuffed Animals That Can't Be Thrown Into A Washing Machine? What if you have a toy that you want to donate but it is looking a little worse for wear, you could always toss your stuffed animals into the washer before you donate them to give them a fresher look. If you have a stuffed toy that can’t go into the washing machine because it is too fragile or contains an item that would get ruined in the wash such as a sound box then knowing how to clean them without a washing machine is important. To clean stuffed animals without throwing them in the washer you can use baking soda and a trash bag. Simply put the stuffed animal and baking soda into the trash bag, tie it up, and shake. Place a half of a cup of baking soda into a clean garbage bag then drop your stuffed animal into the bottom of the bag. Tie the bag off, leaving a little room so that the stuffed animal can move around inside the bag. Once the bag is tied, shake the bag up and down and in circular motions for two minutes. Then set the bag aside and allow the stuffed animal to stay in the baking soda bag for fifteen minutes before taking the toy out of the bag. The baking soda will not only make your toys smell better but will loosen all the dirt and grime that is clinging to your toy. Once the fifteen minutes is up, remove the toy, brush it down with a soft bristled brush to remove any baking soda and dirt, then use a vacuum hose to lift the grime away. Conclusion Now that you know that used toys can be donated to either Goodwill Industries or the Salvation Army thrift stores you can clean up your old toys and drop them off at your local store. While you’re there you can head on in to see if there are any new toys for you that you might want to take home. A few weeks ago, my daughter discovered a stuffed snowy owl which is one of her favorite animals. It was an old Build-a-bear toy but it looked brand new! She was thrilled to discover it and even more excited when she saw it was less than five dollars. My son discovered an older Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal and an old board game called Down on the Farm which he purchased for less than ten dollars for both of them! Goodwill and Salvation Army are great places for old toys to find new homes.