Donations
We appreciate your interest in supporting the children at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia as well as the Department of Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy. Because thousands of children visit our many facilities each year, we have an ongoing need for new toys, craft supplies, books, video games and movies.
For information about toy donations for patients, please visit our Toy Donation page.
All donations must be new and safe (non-toxic). Our wish list provides information about what kinds of toys/materials we are most in need of at any given time; however, infant toys and adolescent activities are always needed. For infection control reasons, we are unable to accept donations of used stuffed animals or toys. If you have used toys and stuffed animals to donate, local shelters and churches are often in need of such items.
Most donations can be dropped off at the Information Desk in the Main Building, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To ensure proper follow up and acknowledgement of your donation, please complete a donor form when you deliver your donation to the Information Desk. For larger donations, special arrangements may need to be made with the Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy Department.
Collection drives
Collection drives can be a great way for groups to get involved in helping others. If you are interested in holding a collection drive for the Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy Department, we are in need of coloring books, crayons, markers, glue sticks, children's scissors, bubbles, Bionicles, small Lego kits and small containers of Play Doh. Thank you very much for thinking of us.
These guidelines can help you plan a successful collection drive:
- Contact the Department of Child Life and Education at 215-590-2001 or e-mail childlife@email.chop.edu to express your interest in hosting a drive. Discuss your ideas with a staff member to determine a successful match between your interest and our current needs. Take the time to ask any questions you may have.
- Select the date or dates of your drive. You may decide to coordinate a drive around a particular date, holiday or time of year. Schools have tied collection drives to dances, spirit days and holidays. Companies have linked drives to holidays or special anniversaries. Holding a drive in connection with another event or date can also help publicize your drive.
- Publicize, Publicize, Publicize! Publicity can play a large role in the success of your collection drive. Place a reminder in your neighborhood mailboxes, advertise in school, church or community newsletters, or talk about it to gain support and participation.
- During the collection drive, if applicable, separate donated items into categories — art supplies, infant toys, movies etc. Donations also need to be collected in a transportable manner, either in bags or boxes, before being delivered to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
- Determine a time and method to deliver donations to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
- Last, but certainly not least, celebrate a successful donation to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia! Your donation will help our department meet the needs of the patients we see each year in Children's Hospital facilities.
If you are interested in making a donation, please contact the Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy Department at 215-590-2001 or e-mail childlife@email.chop.edu. If you are interested in making a monetary donation or in supporting a specific program, please contact the Hospital Foundation at 267-426-6500.
Contact Us
- 215-590-2001
- Contact Us Online