Nolia Design Shares SCT Collection Experience

Nolia Design brought Second Chance Toys to Colorado by holding their own Earth Week Toy Drive. Natalie White, owner of the full-service ecological design firm, discusses her experience below.

What attracted you to Second Chance Toys? 

This past holiday season I planned to collect my families used toys and those of my friends to donate to kids in need. I struggled to find a local agency that would accept used toys. I did not want to dispose haphazardly of my family’s toys, as many used toys are good as new--then I stumbled up Second Chance Toys. Their outreach abilities and mission were inspiring.

Why is collecting gently used plastic toys important to you?

I am deeply concerned about the state of our environment and our children. I feel that teaching young children to give up something they care about for another child of less fortune is an epic childhood lesson. Of course, the proliferation of plastic toys is astounding, and re-allocating them is a wonderful re-use strategy.

What role did your company, Nolia Design Inc., play in the collection process?

Nolia Design Inc. facilitated the toy drive by collaborating with local businesses that generously allowed us to set-up in high traffic areas around Fort Collins. We created eye-catching Earth Day displays using tables covered with sod and plants in our collection sites, added large collection boxes and crayons for kids to draw with, and provided educational materials, wildflower seed packets and coupons from our business sponsors. To promote the event we sent out several email campaigns, created a Second Chance Colorado Face book page, posted the event on our website, and sent out press releases to regional newspapers.

What was the best part of collecting for Second Chance Toys?

Knowing that every single toy makes a difference in a child’s life, particularly those who have no toys or very few. With the first toy collected, we considered the drive a success.

Do you plan to hold another Second Chance Toys collection?

Yes, the team at Nolia Design has begun planning for our Holiday drive. We plan to collaborate with sponsors to place them in businesses, pre-schools and other kid friendly sites. We hope our partners will use their networks to promote the drive, and leave the bags on site for a couple of weeks to facilitate collections. We are also planning to expand our scope beyond Fort Collins to include Boulder. Additionally we may work with another non-profit that has a large used children’s sale every fall and collect their un-sold plastic toys.

If you had to give one piece of advice from your experience to other collectors, what would it be?

Integrate the collection sites into the daily routines of families or other possible donors. Instead of having narrow collection windows for just a couple of days, try to maintain the collection sites for longer periods.