Donate toys and items

You can support our patients through in-kind gifts of toys, supplies, activities and other much-appreciated items. You can also allow our staff to respond to specific needs by donating to our Foundation, and allowing us to acquire the most-helpful items.

Ways to help directly

Wish list

View our wish list to see items that are our greatest needs.

Amazon wish list

We have curated wish lists of items that help make for a comfortable and more enjoyable hospital stay for our patients and families.

AmazonSmile

Log into your Amazon account through smile.amazon.com, choose Children’s Minnesota as your charity of choice, and 0.5% of your purchases will be automatically donated.

Let us do the shopping for you

By making a financial contribution, you’ll help the Children’s Minnesota staff purchase toys, books, crafts and games tailored to our patients’ needs based on age, diagnosis and hospital appropriateness.

Need more information?

For information about supporting the mission of Children’s Minnesota by making a donation, please email [email protected] or call 952-992-5500.

Frequently asked questions

Where and when can I donate items?

Please fill out our donation form and bring it with you when you drop off your donation. Parking in the visitor ramps is free for the first 20 minutes.

Children’s Minnesota – St. Paul
345 N Smith Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55102
651-220-6000

Donations can be dropped off at the welcome centers on the first or second floor:

Monday–Friday: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Children’s Minnesota – Minneapolis
2525 Chicago Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55404
612-813-6000

Donations can be dropped off at the welcome centers on the first or second floor:

Monday–Friday: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Can I mail in my donation?

Please include a completed donation form with your mailed donation.

Children’s Minnesota
c/o Children’s Minnesota Foundation
720 East 26th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55404

What kinds of donations makes the largest impact?

Your financial contributions to Children’s Minnesota make the greatest and most immediate impact on our patients and families. From providing excellent care and top-notch facilities, to continuing staff education and providing charity care, your dollars support the very programs and projects that make us Children’s Minnesota. Make your gift online today.

Children’s Minnesota is unable to accept the following items

Out of concern for the safety, immunity and allergies of many of our patients, Children’s Minnesota is only able to accept new items with the tags still attached. We are unable to accept the following donations:

Used/previously played with toys, books, games or stuffed animals
Private collections of toys, books, games or stuffed animals that have never been played with but have been stored away
Items that include information that identify past or present patients including but not limited to patient’s first and last name, birth date, photo and story
Latex toys, games and balloons.
Toys that resemble weapons (swords, Nurf guns, water guns, violent action figures, etc.)
Used medical equipment
Breast milk and unused formula
Donated hair for wigs
Crocheted/knit blankets
Infant clothing with the following: zippers, fleece, t-shirts, sweatshirts, pants or snowsuits
Crib bumpers
Wedding dresses for baptismal or burial gowns
Cards or art for patients
Homemade treats (cookies, cupcakes, bars, etc.)
Yoga, Zumba or other exercise classes
Flowers from weddings, funerals, or other outside events
Sports equipment, bikes, skateboards, scooters

Can I donate stuffed animals?

Clean, new stuffed animals can be donated and our child life team will distribute these to patients

My kids have some toys they’ve outgrown. Can I donate them to Children’s Minnesota?

Out of concern for the safety, immunity and allergies of many of our patients, we are unable to accept donations of toys that have been previously played with or were part of private collections.

Can I come with my kids or group to deliver gifts directly to a patient or patients?

Due to privacy and infection prevention concerns, we aren’t able to bring community members or groups onto the hospital floors to give gifts directly to patients, host events with patients or play/read with patients.

My class or group would like to make blankets. What types and sizes work best?

Children’s Minnesota accepts and regularly distributes blankets from quilts to tie blankets. Fleece blankets are preferred as they are non-allergenic. Fun colors and patterns are always loved by our patients. We also encourage groups to make blankets that are 1.5 yard x 1.5 yard or 2.5 yards x 1.5 yards.

I am a knitter and would like to knit items. What things to you need most?

We can accept and use knit hats, scarves and mittens of all sizes during the fall/winter seasons. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept knit or crochet blankets due to medical equipment getting caught and snagged in them.

My class or group would like to make cards for patients. Do you accept those?

Unfortunately, we are no longer accepting cards for patients.

I’d like to donate books. Do you accept new or used books?

We accept donations of new books. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept used books due to infection prevention.

I am interested in donating artwork to the hospital. What is your process?

We are fortunate to have a large collection of original, commissioned artwork from local, professional artists, and we are no longer accepting donated artwork for the hospital at this time.

Disclaimer: In-kind donations are directed to the Child Life Program for equitable distribution to patients and families. If an in-kind gift is requested to be designated to a specific area of the hospital, please provide this detail in the space provided on the In-kind Donation Form. The Child Life Program will make its best effort to comply with the requested designation. Depending on many factors including, but not limited to, unit needs and the quality of the in-kind gift, Children’s Minnesota may not be able to meet the designation request for the in-kind donation and may, at its sole discretion, designate the in-kind donation to other areas of the hospital or provide the in-kind donation to other non-profit organization(s).

IP Disclaimer: The entire right, title, and interest throughout the world to all intellectual property, copyright, works, trademarks, and/or inventions and other materials or content, if any, that are conceived of, authored, created, prepared, procured, or generated, whether or not reduced to practice, for Children’s as the work product hereunder, either solely or jointly with others in connection with or as related to the performance hereunder are the sole and exclusive property of Children’s Minnesota and will be considered “works made for hire” under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, as amended, and shall be and hereby are vested and assigned to Children’s Minnesota and any and all documents prepared by Children’s Minnesota will be executed and agreement to do all other lawful acts as may be required by Children’s Minnesota to establish, document, and protect its rights as contemplated hereunder.

GIVE NOW

Help us raise ‘em up. Children’s Minnesota is building a better future for all kids—but we can’t do it without you. Please give today. So every child can reach their best health.