Stuffed animals

  • Thread starter Thread starter mizznicole
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

mizznicole

Guest
Ugh, I can’t stand how these stuffed animals pile up!

Unfortunately, I don’t know how to get rid of them. Charities take only new stuff, right?
 
Well, the thrift store in our area takes ‘used’ stuffies provided they’re clean and intact; I imagine other places would as well. Or day care centers, homeless shelters, even nursing homes (where they could be used in occupational therapy), etc. Church nurseries also might welcome them. . .

Failing that, divide what you have and put 1/2 to 3/4 of them in storage (attic, basement, etc.) Then ‘rotate’ --after 4 to 6 months, gather the ones you currently have out, put them into storage and take out some that were in storage, etc. Cuts down on the clutter. Repeat as needed.
 
Charities will take gently used stuffed toys. The key here is clean and not torn or in any way damaged. Another key is to check with the charity, police and firefighters take gently used, hospitals may only take new. The difference is one is using them in a stressful situation for a child who is otherwise healthy and the other uses them in the stressful situation of being ill and in hospital!

Brenda V.
 
Brenda_V said:
Charities will take gently used stuffed toys. The key here is clean and not torn or in any way damaged. Another key is to check with the charity, police and firefighters take gently used, hospitals may only take new. The difference is one is using them in a stressful situation for a child who is otherwise healthy and the other uses them in the stressful situation of being ill and in hospital!

Brenda V.
Click to expand...
Most hospitals only take toys that can wash easily, out of concern of germs being spread. Our local hospital will not take stuffed animals. So ask before you show up with a car full of stuffies:)
 
Try Freecycle or Craigslist in your area. Someone may have a hobby/ministry giving toys new homes and may even clean and repair them.
 
You could use the stuffed animals to make a Catholic play 🙂
 
For the ones in good shape maybe see if your parish has a daycare or babysitting service or if they give care packages to families.
Call a shelter and see if they take them or even the police department takes some in their cars and give to children as goodwill and as a means to comfort them and maybe even the fire dept. may be interested. I think lots of places would be happy to take them off your hands.

Good luck… and I think they multiply on their own too:D

Paul
 
Contact your local police department, Sheriff’s department or EMS to see if they will take them as a donation. In our area, officers and EMT’s keep stuffies in their vehicles to give to kids when they are involved in a traumatic event where a cop or EMT has to respond.
 
happymommy said:
Most hospitals only take toys that can wash easily, out of concern of germs being spread. Our local hospital will not take stuffed animals. So ask before you show up with a car full of stuffies:)
Click to expand...
I thought of that but some hospitals will take new stuffed animals to be given to the children and never shared, the animal will either go home with the child or be tossed. I know this because every Christmas season we have one stuffed animal that we use as a fundraiser, mostly to purchase the animal to be given, new, to a charity we choose. Sometimes it is our local Children’s hospital, these stuffed animals are left in their plastic until given to a child who then gets to keep it.

Yes, always ask before you donate to any organization for anything you are donating!

Remember the story of the Velveteen Rabbit? In my imagination all those stuffed animals that have been so loved do become real 😉 so even if it has to be destroyed at the end of a hospital visit it has given a child comfort and if they have to give it up because it is now too germ-y the story of the Velveteen Rabbit can help.

Brenda V.
 
I’d just throw them away…There are tons of stuffed animals at thrift stores and in garage sales. I don’t think there is a shortage.

But, you could cut them open and pull the stuffing out to make puppets. Let the kids play with them for a couple of weeks, then throw them out. 😉
 
I second giving them to the local police station. Along with any gently used blankets.
 
Another possibility–local animal shelters, as ‘toys’ for the cats and dogs. (another good place for gently used blankets and towels as well).
 
Good ideas!

And please spread the word…don’t buy stuffed animals for babies. Thank you. 😉
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top