We’re Making a Difference in Children’s Lives
Cradles to Crayons was founded on the philosophy that unused resources should be redistributed to the places they are needed most. Families struggling to pay for rent and groceries often cannot afford anything else. Basic items for their children—properly fitting outfits for school, diapers, a backpack, shoes, pajamas, a coat for cold weather—are simply not possible.
Cradles to Crayons’ mission and model enable our volunteers and donors to turn compassion into action and provide the essential items children need to thrive at school, participate fully in life, and simply be a kid.
Find A Local Drop Off
We have more than 70 drop-off locations located across Chicagoland, ready to accept your new and gently used clothing and shoe donations.
Our Spring Greening initiative highlights our commitment to serving people and the planet. Cradles to Crayons diverts thousands of pounds of clothing from landfills every year in Greater Philadelphia, redistributing these new and gently used clothing essentials back into use locally and decreasing the overall carbon footprint for these critical clothing resources.
Clothing recycling can be complicated—Cradles to Crayons makes it easy and impactful.
Current Programs and Events
Shop our Amazon Wish List
Shop our Amazon Wish List, and help us provide high-quality essentials to local children in need! Our Amazon Wish List is updated monthly and features items we have the greatest need for in The Giving Factory. To simplify the process, you can even select to ship the items directly to us.
Door-to-Door Donation Pickups
We’re excited to offer free door-to-door donation pickups, ensuring that more of our community’s high-quality clothing donations reach Chicagoland children. The process is simple: schedule your pickup date, bag your donations, and leave them outside for our team to pick up! This service is available to a limited number of Chicagoland neighborhoods.
Fund the Cause
We count on you so the children and families in need can count on us, your financial support is essential.
Volunteer
We work with families, individuals, community groups, and companies to process clothing donations at The Giving Factory. Your time is vital to getting children the everyday essentials they need to thrive.
Events
Join us for an event in The Giving Factory or in a Chicagoland community. Learn more about our signature events and check out our events calendar to see if we’re hosting an event near you.
Service Partners
Our whole focus is to make our collaborative process as easy and streamlined as possible. This helps us to empower the children you serve at home, at school, and at play by providing the everyday essentials that match their individual needs.
In the News
We host special events and activities throughout the year in our Giving Factory and in local communities to enable community groups, families, and businesses to support our mission and help neighbors in need.