Items We Accept
Our Most Needed Items
Cradles to Crayons creates KidPacks that are hand-selected with care to meet a local boy or girl’s specific needs and wants. We accept donations of a wide range of new and gently-used goods that are appropriate for use by children from newborn through age 12.
Our mission is to provide every child with the essentials they need to feel valued and we ask you to support us in doing so. Therefore, please ensure that your gently-used donations are high-quality: not ripped, stained, broken, or missing pieces. Please review the standards below to ensure we can distribute your donation to a deserving child.
Donation Guidelines
Cradles to Crayons creates KidPacks that are hand-selected with care to meet a local boy or girl’s specific needs and wants. We accept donations of a wide range of new and gently-used goods that are appropriate for use by children ages newborn to 12. For more details on what we need and can accept, please review our donation guidelines.
Find A Drop-Off
Donations can be delivered to the following Community Drop-Off Sites managed by dedicated Cradles to Crayons volunteers. These volunteers have generously allowed us to use their homes and businesses as donation locations for your convenience. Due to limited space, these sites can only accept up to one car trunk-load of donations per visit.
Take Action In Your Community
Frequently Asked Questions
What are your most needed items?
Our Most-Needed Items lists typically represent immediate inventory shortfalls and reflect prevalent out-of-stock items. Follow the links below to see the particular list for your region, which is updated weekly.
Boston
Philadelphia
Chicago
Where do I bring my donations?
Donations are accepted 24/7 in the large white storage units outside of each of our Giving Factories.
We also have additional dropoff locations throughout Massachusetts, Philadelphia, and Illinois. Follow this link to find the closest dropoff location near you. Also make sure to take a look at our Donation Guidelines before dropping off any items in our collection bins.
Why can't you take nursery furniture, large toys, etc.?
At Cradles to Crayons, we take pride in creating customized KidPacks, each of them hand-selected with care to meet the needs and wants of a specific child. Since home of the typical child we serve has limited space, we do not accept large furniture or toys in the interest of health and safety.
How do I set up a donation drive? How long should I collect for?
In general, we recommend a collection period of two to four weeks. Simply complete an inquiry using our online Host A Drive Inquiry Form for your local Cradles to Crayons. The buttons are below for each site. A staff member will follow up with you. In the meantime, take a look at our downloadable Host A Drive Roadmap and Donation Guidelines.
