With Earth Day just around the corner, it is a good time to think about how to reuse and recyle. Reusing and recycling toys, in particular, is a great example!
I wrote a post around the holidays about recycling and reusing toys with these tips. Yet, there is a national organization that was started by a high school student who was tired of seeing beautiful, plastic toys on garbage day. She didn’t like to see so many toys being thrown away with many kids who can’t afford to have toys. So, she collected them, cleaned them up and donated them to local churches, food pantries and children’s organizations. Now her venture is called Second Chance Toys, which partners with the Kohl’s Volunteer Program, as well as 1-800-Got-Junk, who transports toys for Second Chance Toys.
To date, they’ve collected and donated more than 170,000 toys to children in need. The goal is to put toys in the hands of more than 100,000 underserved children this year who have humbly asked for a toy through various oorganizations and homeless shelters.
There are six served areas to date in New York City; New Jersey; and Boston, Mass. If you have or can collect 50 or more gently used plastic toys, Second Chance Toys will arrange for a drop-off at a local organization. They even give you access to flyers, merchandise and other promotional items to promote your collection. You can also volunteer your time, or make a donation.
So this Earth Day, consider keeping toys out of landfills and into the hands of deserving boys and girls.
