Toy Donations

This Holiday Season we were so excited to welcome Temple Emanu-El of Manhattan to our network of toy collectors and volunteers. Read on for a reflection from the parent who led the toy collection initiative and to learn more about the meaningful inspiration for the Mitzvah project. 

Once again, AIG has joined forces with Second Chance Toys to hold a nationwide virtual toy drive. This initiative gave employees a sustainable way to repurpose plastic toys, saving them from landfills and putting them in the hands of refugee children whose families have resettled in Michigan. For the past couple of years,AIG has been one of our wonderful Valued Supporters, and we’re so happy to have the community on our team.   

As the yearly celebration to protect the Earth approaches, so many people begin to contemplate how their families, and especially children, can safely learn how to make a positive lasting impact. Second Chance Toys makes it simple and easy to do good this year, especially with your younger Earthlings in mind! As a family, gather your outplayed gently-used plastic toys, along with those from your neighborhood or relatives. Decide which toys you haven’t touched in a while and which your family has outgrown.

As we reflect on the holiday season, we are so grateful for the honor to work together again with our friends at AIG and ViacomCBS. Though we’re still spending a good portion of our time together virtually, we are overjoyed that our supporters continue to recognize the value that a toy drive program brings to employees in terms of social responsibility, sustainability, and holiday giving. 

Every year Second Chance Toys' expansive network of volunteers and supporters grows larger, and every year each individual proves to be priceless to our team in the missions against plastic waste and poverty. This past holiday season we were overjoyed to work with Kiera Dunlevy, a Manasquan High School Junior, who single-handedly coordinated a toy drive in her community. Kiera reached out directly to the SCT team to discuss her ideas and get some more information. She then registered for a recipient match and took off running!

The work that 1-800-Got-Junk? does for Second Chance Toys is nothing short of amazing.  For more than 7 years the 1-800-Got-Junk? franchise partners and their teams have been the glue connecting toy collections with the toy recipients.  They have transported over 150,000 toys to deserving girls and boys. And for all their contribution, we want to thank them immensely for being such an integral part of the Second Chance Toys mission. 

It's been a busy few weeks here! We're excited to announce that Earth Week 2015 collections totaled 10,000 toys. That's 10,000 toys in the hands of children in need, rather than taking up space in a landfill. That's roughly 20 TONS of plastic saved! A special thank you to all of our volunteers and to our partners at 1-800-GOT-JUNK, Kidville, Kohl's, and Viacom. Let's do it again next year!

  For the first time, Phelps Luck Elementary School teamed up with Second Chance toys to collect approximately 200 gently used toys. Although they were not able to hold the drive during Earth Week, recycling was on the minds of Laura Shucosky and Therese Cooper of Phelps Luck Elementary School, who organized the school-wide event.  Donations of the gently used toys were given to the YMCA in Ellicott City, Maryland (The Dancel Family Center).  Kirsten Eads, the program director of the Dancel Family Center, was grateful to receive such nice toys to help the children at the YMCA. 1-800-Got-Junk? also volunteered its resources to transport the donations on Friday June, 3rd to the YMCA.  Thanks again to Phelps Luck Elementary and 1-800-Got-Junk?.

The week prior to Spring Break, students at Beaver Creek, Pickering Valley, Shamona Creek, Springton Manor, Uwchlan Hills and West Bradford Elementary Schools and the Central Office of Downingtown School District teamed up with Second Chance Toys of PA and collected over 1,000 gently used plastic toys. 1-800-Got-Junk? volunteered its resources to transport the District's donations on Thursday April 14th to three head start programs in Coatesville.  Thanks for the great job, everyone!

First grade Teacher Kaity Barnes and students from Pickering Valley Elementary