Baby outgrows things very quickly. This includes clothing, diapers, and toys. Is a lot of stuff. Do you just throw it out? It used. Or donate it?
It’s important to find out who accepts which types of donations if you are considering donating items for babies. Some baby items can be donated, but others cannot. Each organization has its own rules. Donating baby items can make a big impact if you follow these guidelines.
What to consider before donating
After you’ve decided what to donate, you can now decide what to keep. Next, you need to evaluate each item. The majority of organizations and groups will accept gently used items. So inspect each item before deciding whether it should be donated. This means that you should check to make sure nothing is damaged, chipped, or ripped.
Also, you’ll want to wash each item. This could include washing items such as a baby swing or carrier or cleaning items like activity cubes or musical instruments. You’ll also want to check the website of the group or organization for guidelines on how to when to, and what to give. It’s important to check each organization before you drop off, as they are all different.
There is a general rule that you can follow. While all donations are well-intentioned and usually made with good intentions, it is important to remember the following. Toni Sarge is the director of public relations for Seattle’s Westside Baby. I know that people believe a shirt to be a simple shirt. That’s up to you and your family. If you would not gift it to another person, then please do not donate it. We won’t donate it to a particular family because we respect their humanity. That doesn’t mean they deserve stained shirts.
What You Can Do to Help
You can donate baby items in many ways once you have clean, gently-used items. You can donate items to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, Baby Banks, donation websites, or by word of mouth. You can sometimes donate through social media.
Thrift Stores
Most people know about community non-profits like Goodwill and Salvation Army. You can also donate to countless local thrift shops. These stores accept donations and then resell them at a discount.
In addition to accepting donations, each organization has a mission statement that outlines what money is spent on. If they can’t accept your donation, most thrift stores will recycle it. Goodwill, for example, will recycle clothing that they cannot accept.
Baby Banks
A baby bank is an organization that provides baby products to parents in need. Parents can get Diapers and Wipes to care for their children, while social workers and nurses may request items on behalf of their clients. A diaper bank is the same as a baby bank, except that it only accepts diapers or items related to them.
Sarge says, “We collect, clean, and distribute gently used and new items to families experiencing all kinds of challenges. Whether it’s a family in an economic hardship program or a child with developmental disabilities, we help them.” The majority of larger baby banks distribute through a community network. They don’t distribute directly to the families. Check the website before you donate. Baby banks have strict guidelines on what they accept and won’t accept.
Social Media
Social media such as MeetUp and Facebook parenting groups are a relatively new way of donating. There are groups created specifically for donations as well as niche groups. You might belong to a group that sells used baby equipment in your neighborhood, or you could be part of a neighborhood group for buy/sell/trade. In this case, you can list your donation as free.
To keep everyone safe, any group that you belong to will have rules regarding communication, donations, and meet-ups. You can use social media to donate items you’re unsure of donating to thrift stores and baby banks or items you want to get rid of quickly.
Posting items directly on your social media pages is also possible. It’s a good way to donate to someone you know, such as a friend or follower, on Facebook or Instagram. It’s a good way to get larger items (like a bed frame or swing set) removed from your house by someone you can trust.
Community Websites
You can also use neighborhood sites such as NextDoor or Craigslist to post items for donation in forums that are free. Or, you can create a post within your own neighborhood to make the donation local. To ensure safety, meet at a neutral location and do the transfer.
Word of mouth
You may know someone in need or you may know someone who knows someone in need. Donating directly to the recipients is possible without many restrictions. You can donate items to this charity that are generally not accepted by other organizations, like baby food and opened formula cans.
What you can do
Jaime Lackey is the founder and CEO at Georgia’s one and only baby bank, Helping Mammas. She says that what you can donate depends on your organization or group. Clothing is the most common item donated to us, she says. You can also donate other baby items such as diapers, wipes, car seats, cribs and strollers, as well as postpartum supplies.
Baby Clothes
Donating gently used baby clothing is allowed by most organizations. Before donating, you’ll want each item to be checked for tears or rips.
It’s better to donate clothing in a “lot” than post individual items. You can sort the items by gender, size, season or condition.
Diapers and Wipes
New diapers and wipes must always be donated. Diapers and wipes are accepted or not depending on where you donate. You have the most flexibility if you use social media, community websites, or word-of mouth, particularly if you only have a few diapers to give away.
Baby banks are a great place to donate these essentials. Jessica Reinmann is the CEO of 914Cares in Westchester County, New York. She says that they give out about 40,000 diapers each month and about 3,000 wipes packages.
Donating to a Baby Bank will result in a demand for bigger diapers. Also, wipes are always in demand. You can also donate diapers that have been opened.
