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 and needed items.

Children’s Minnesota is only able to accept new, unopened and unused items because of allergen and immunity concerns. Staff members will distribute items as needed to patients and families throughout our hospitals and clinics. Groups are not able to hand out items to patients and families due to HIPAA privacy regulations and our infection prevention policies. All donated food items will be put into our food pantries, located within our Family Resource Centers. Get answers to other frequently asked questions here.

Ways to help directly

Financial contribution

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

Wish list

Our wish lists are filled with items of greatest need to help make for a more comfortable and enjoyable stay for our patients and families.
To purchase and deliver items directly to the hospital: Amazon wish list
To purchase and drop off items to the hospital on your own: View wish list

Kit building

All items are provided by your group. These kits are to be made off-site. Please note: we cannot accept anything made of latex or accept toys resembling guns, swords or any weapons. We ask that you package kits so they can be distributed to patients and families – try using Ziplocs or tote bags with your company logo, or paper gift bags.

Snack kits

Using our snack and amenities list, put together a snack pack for all ages. We cannot accept homemade treats.

Activity kits

Activity/coloring books, crayons, markers, sticker books, dot paints and books, MadLibs and gel pens, puzzles, travel-sized games such as Trouble, Connect Four, Spot It, etc. We can accept a maximum of 50 activity bags.

Journaling kits

Journaling is something we encourage our older patients to do on a regular basis. Gather materials such as a creative notebook, pen, etc., and include tips on how to journal.

Bracelet kits

Gather beads, string, and other bracelet-crafting materials, along with instructions and designs (supplies for both young kids & teens are needed!)

Amenity kits

Put together a kit of basic items like a deck of cards or puzzle book, stamps, pen, mints, hand sanitizer, lip balm, etc.

Toiletry Kits

Travel-sized items needs: toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, lotion, calendula oil, coconut oil, shaving cream, shower gel.

Other items needed: toothbrush, wide tooth comb, hair brush, razor, lip balm, hair binders.

Having items bundled items in clear zipped bags and individually to customize to needs are appreciated.

Host a drive

Get a group together to collect much-needed items for Children’s Minnesota. Use our AmazonSmile Charity Wish List to help guide your group with ideas, and have items shipped directly to the hospital or set up a drop-off station at your business or home to accept new, unused items for our patients and families.

Tie blankets

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

Reading buddies

Get a group together to make reading buddies for our patients. Literacy resources, such as Reading Buddies, promote reading and are a much appreciated item for patients while they are in the hospital. These “buddies” allow kids to read aloud to someone to practice this critical skill.

Reading buddy materials

Here are the materials you will need:

No sew animal/plush Reading Buddy (check out thezoofactory.com)
Polyfill stuffing material
Level Reader Books – check out the books listed on our AmazonSmile Charity Wish List
Paper, scissors, markers, etc. to create this Reading Buddy poem:

I’m your reading buddy, quiet as can be.
I will listen to you as you read to me.
Read to me anytime and anywhere you can, and
you’ll soon find that I’m your biggest fan!

Dropping off items

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

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 at the locations above on the first or second floors, during these times:

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

Look for the iPads at the Welcome Desk, complete the in-kind form on the iPad when you drop off your donation. Parking in the visitor ramps is free for the first 20 minutes.

Other ways to support

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.

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.

Frequently asked questions

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 do 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.