Simple Gifts

[minoanmiss]

holiday_wishes over at DW was fun and small enough to be manageable, but I am sad that so few members (TL and med_cat, pretty much) had children, and that no teachers signed up. I have a whole shopping bag full of gifts (coloring pencils, toys, books, hairclips, etc) that I didn't get to give out. PLUS a big pink sweater that's not new but is in good condition.

I wish I knew where to donate or give these. Most charities want money, which makes sense (money is fungible, after all, and easy to send and bviously to spend) but I wish I could show up with a certificate of trustworthiness and a promise that nothing in the bag is worn or nasty and so on.

Any non-Goodwill ideas? Anyone want a box of pencils or a big pink sweater?

Comments

[acelightning]

Well, you could carry some hair clips in your bag, to give to little kids who admire your hair clips :-)

[minoanmiss]

Heh, no littel child has actually done that to that degree.

[acelightning]

Keep a few in your bag anyway, Just In Case :-)

Also, if there's a social worker or someone like that in the pediatric ward, they might be able to use some of the toys. I hope there are people whose job it is to help make children feel more comfortable in a frighteningly unfamiliar environment!

[minoanmiss]

There are, but right now the volunteer office (they're the ones who coordinate this) are full up on toys and supplies after Christmas.

[acelightning]

So wait until they run out of their Christmas stash, and then offer them yours :-)

[princessofgeeks]

In my experience the preschool at your local public school might be a good place to check.

ETA: Or your hospital's day care center. I am assuming your hospital has an onsite daycare for its employees; that's a thing where I live.

[minoanmiss]

This hospital is too ancient and venerable to have anything as modern as a daycare center.

[readera]

Try your local homeless shelter or library too. Public school is def a good place to check out.

[jenny_evergreen]

Seconding homeless shelter! Ours is always short on things for kids to do, in particular, so those colored pencils and other such things would be great!

[minoanmiss]

ETA I shouldn't've written that. Anyway. I will try to get things to my local schools, if I can find out what's going on.

[readera]

Np, it happens. It may be easier to see if the school has a public relations person in the admin office. If they have that, they can be helpful.

[minoanmiss]

Oh, that's excellent advice! Thank you!

[readera]

Your welcome. I hope it works out. :)

[eustaciavye77]

Do you have anything a 2 year old would enjoy? Because we know one of those!

[minoanmiss]

If anything in that bag were appropriate for her it would already be in the mail. :D But I think it's all a little older and/or has small parts.

[killing_rose]

https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston/take-action/donate-goods/find-local-drop-off/
http://www.sponsoramind.org/

[minoanmiss]

smacks forehead Thank you!

the place that could use small toys etc.

[med_cat]

Sunshine Snail Mail :)

Donate cards, postage stamps or other items to the administrators that are sending out cards and packages.

Will PM you their address

Or you could send some out to their featured kids, can give you specific links/names/addresses if you like.
~~

And yes, the DW holiday_wishes was heavily fandom-skewed, I participated a bit on DW and a bit on LJ.

(I also participated less this year in holiday_wishes overall b/c I was mailing cards, etc. to Sunshine Snail Mail and to From The Heart folks)

We'll see next year...

[chochiyo_sama]

I work at an after school program at a church, doing art and crafts with kids. Check and see if there is something similar in your area. Along with donations of random stuff from people, I fund all my arts and crafts materials myself, and I suspect most of these programs are similar.

Or, take the stuff in bags to a food shelf and see if they will distribute the bags to people who come in with children. If they are so poor that they have to get food at the food shelf, they probably don't have the money to get fun things for the kids either.

Think how cool it would be for one of those little kiddos to get a bag of goodies along with their mac and cheese and canned peas!

[minoanmiss]

Speaking of art supplies, www.sciplus.com sells a lot of stuff very cheaply, if you're up for shopping by mail.

I will look around for such programs!