Your Kids’ Old Toys Deserve Better Than the Bin — Donate Them Here
Today (15 May) is International Day of Families (IDF), a day where we celebrate and commemorate the importance of family units. This year, IDF spotlights the role that families play in contributing to sustainable development. Here's a simple way you can do your part: Instead of creating more rubbish, why not bless other families with your kids' gently loved old toys?
While the Salvation Army may be the default option for decluttering items that are still in good condition, there are other places where you can give pre-loved kids toys a second lease on life.
For instance, community initiatives like GoodHood.sg and Pass It On allow you to rehome secondhand items to others who might be in need.
Of course, this largely depends on whether anybody is asking for toys. If you're looking for more reliable options to declutter, these places accept toy donations:
For the busy parent who doesn't have time to do drop-offs: Share At Door Step
This initiative makes donating toys a breeze: Simply schedule a doorstep pickup for your items, and Share At Door Step will do the rest.
You don't have to worry about looking up which organisation to give your toys to either; the initiative will handle the sorting and distribution of toys to organisations in need of them. Almost all toys are accepted as long as they're in good condition, from stuffed toys to board games, remote-controlled toys, arts and craft supplies, musical instruments and more.
Do note that the doorstep pickup service charges a convenience fee based on the volume of your donations, as well as the distance involved in the pickup.
Find out more here
To help empower persons with special needs: MINDS Shop
MINDS is a social enterprise that aims to empower persons with intellectual disabilities to participate in society as fully as possible. One of the organisation's initiatives is the MINDS Shop, which is run by MINDS trainers as well as its trainees. Here, the MINDS trainees gain experience in interacting with customers and members of the public, while learning vocational skills in retail.
The shop's stock consists of donated items, including board games and children toys. All donations are sorted, cleaned and packed for storage by the MINDS shop team before being put on sale, with proceeds from said sales going to the MINDS trainees as allowances.
Do note that at the moment, donations are only accepted at the Margaret Drive outlet. For a list of accepted items, see the donation guidelines here.
Mon to Wed, 10 am to 3 pm (Closed on public holidays)
MINDS Shop @ Margaret Drive, 800 Margaret Drive, Singapore 149310
Find out more here
To support vulnerable groups in society: Singapore Red Cross
Singapore Red Cross also runs secondhand shops where in-kind donations are resold by Red Cross volunteers. Toys in good condition for all ages are accepted, alongside board games and puzzles.
All proceeds from sales are channeled directly towards the organisation's local humanitarian services, which support the elderly, underprivileged children and youths, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
Mon to Fri, 8 am to 7 pm | Sat to Sun, 8 am to 3 pm (Closed on public holidays)
Red Cross Training Campsite, 62 Jalan Khairuddin, Singapore 457524
Find out more here
IMAGE: CLOOP
For stuffed toys that are falling apart: Cloop
Are your kids' stuffed toys are too ragged to donate? No need to bin them; instead, check out Cloop's textile recycling bins.
Cloop is an initiative that was founded to reduce textile waste, with two types of collection boxes available islandwide. While the white donation boxes do not accept toys, the yellow recycling boxes accept preloved textile objects in any condition as long as they are clean and dry.
After donation, the textiles are sorted into over 500 different categories and refurbished or upcycled to give them a new lease on life with zero waste to landfills.
Click here to find a Cloop textile recycling bin near you.
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