The holidays are here and it’s time to begin making preparations and sending wish lists off to Santa. However, with the flood of gifts and decorations, comes clutter. If you’re ready to clear out some gently used toys and declutter closets – or simply want to spread the holiday cheer to less fortunate families – visit one of these local Philadelphia charities.
Holiday Toy Drive with Support Center for Child Advocates
The Support Center for Child Advocates provides legal assistance and social service advocacy for victims of child abuse and neglect. Founded in 1977, this organization has been caring for children to ensure their safety, education, health, family permanency, and legal support in Philadelphia County. The program’s attorneys contribute pro bono services to assist these children valued at over $5 million each year.
During the holidays, Child Advocates holds a Holiday Toy Drive where they collect toys and clothing which are distributed to each child served by the program that year – and other Philadelphia County children and teens. In 2017, more than 6,000 toys were delivered to over 1,500 children.
How can you help?
- Buy gifts for children (ages newborn to 21)
- Host a toy drive
- Volunteer at the Holiday Toy Drive headquarters at 1500 Market Street
- Deliver toys on Saturday, December 22
- Sponsor a child
The deadline to drop-off toys is Thursday, December 20, 2018.
Cradles to Crayons
Founded in Boston in 2002, Cradles and Crayons came to Philadelphia in 2006. Their mission is simple – to provide children up to age 12 with essentials they need to thrive every day with the hope to one day see a future devoid of childhood poverty. Throughout the year, items including coats, shoes, toys, school supplies, books, and more are collected through drives and packaged at The Giving Factory where they are distributed to local, underprivileged children.
How can you help?
- Donate new and like-new items to The Giving Factory
- Organize a collection drive
Plaid Pajamas Project
Warm pajamas during the winter are often an overthought when donating to charities. The Plaid Pajamas Project focuses on providing this warm comfort to families in need during the holidays. Pajamas are collected from October through January and distributed to various organizations from the end of November until mid-January.
How can you help?
- Donate new pajamas sized preemie to adult XXL to one of the drop spots
- Donate via PayPal
One Warm Coat
No one should go without a coat, especially during the winter. One Warm Coat provides a warm coat to anyone in need. Founded in 1992 in San Francisco, this organization has grown to a national level supporting more than 4,000 coat drives annually. Low temperatures can affect coordination, heart rate, and cognitive function. For many, a winter coat is out of budget – this organization helps solve that problem.
How can you help?
- Donate a coat at your local agency
- Donate funds to support the cause
Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission
The third oldest rescue mission in the United States, Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission serves Philadelphia’s homeless community by serving three meals daily at a women’s transitional home in Germantown and a men’s shelter in Center City.
In addition to providing meals, Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission offers 200 beds at an emergency homeless shelter for men, multiple health clinics, weekly HIV and Hepatitis testing, an eight-to-12-month men’s recovery program, and an eight-to-12-month women’s transitional housing program.
How can you help?
- Serve lunch or dinner Monday through Saturday
- Sort donations
- Participate in a facility-based service project
- Host a food drive
- Donate items, clothing, furniture, or food
- Donate funds
The Center for Autism Toy Drive
The Center for Autism is the oldest autism treatment center in the country and a leading provider of services in Philadelphia. The Center provides a variety of comprehensive treatment programs focused on building relationships and learning skills for success for individuals with autism and their families.
Each year, the Center holds a Holiday Giving Program to support the families they serve – 70 percent of which live in poverty. Each child in the program receives one gift during the holiday season when Santa visits. A Toy Drive will be held until December 7, 2018, to accumulate toys for each of the 400 children in the program.
How can you help?
Women Against Abuse Holiday Gift Drive
Women Against Abuse is one of the largest domestic violence agencies in the United States. The program provides a safe space for domestic violence survivors along with a legal center, financial assistance to transition into homes, a 24-hour hotline, and various training programs.
Each year, the program hosts a Holiday Gift Drive where participants are asked to donate a gift for a survivor or family. Requested gifts range from kitchenware and photo albums to books and blankets. Over 75 families are supported by the Adopt-A-Family program and will be receiving gifts this season based on their personal wish lists.
How can you help?
- Donate a gift for a survivor
- Adopt a family for the holidays
- Adopt a family for the year
- Donate goods
- Donate funds
The gift drive ends December 14, 2018.
Career Wardrobe Clothing
Career Wardrobe Clothing empowers the unemployed in Philadelphia to find work. Through low-cost clothing boutiques and Open Access programs to assist those returning to the workforce, this organization provides opportunities to the unemployed in Philadelphia.
Throughout the year, Career Wardrobe Clothing accepts donations of new and gently-used professional clothing items for the boutiques. They accept items from professional attire to service and medical uniforms, as well as new toiletries, makeup, and gift cards for office supplies.
How can you help?
- Donate clothing
- Volunteer at The Wardrobe Boutique
Philly AIDS Thrift
Philly AIDS Thrift is a nonprofit business in Philadelphia that sells thrifted clothing, using the profits to benefit local organizations fighting HIV/AIDS. This organization has currently donated over $2 million to HIV/AIDS service organizations in the Philadelphia area.
Philly AIDS Thrift accepts donations and shoppers daily at their location on 5th Street. From appliances to DVDs, a wide variety of new or gently used items are accepted.
How can you help?
Philabundance
Founded in 1984, Philabundance has been distributing food to those in need for over 30 years. This program is the largest hunger relief organization in the Delaware Valley and a member of Feed America – fighting to combat the hunger needs in America. One in eight people in the United States and one in five in the Philadelphia area face hunger.
Philabundance distributes approximately 24 million pounds of food annually including produce, meat, and grocery items donated by volunteers, the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, area growers, PhilaPort, and more. Help the hungry have a nutritious holiday by donating food or funds this season.
How can you help?
- Donate food
- Volunteer at the Hunger Relief Center
- Volunteer at the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market
- Volunteer with the Fresh Food for All program
- Volunteer with Grocery Rescue
- Host a food drive
- Rescue food
- Donate funds
Center for Family Services Holiday Gift Project
The Center for Family Services originated in Camden City, New Jersey in 1920. It has since grown to include locations in Philadelphia. Through a variety of programs and services including addiction and recovery programs, counseling, family support and prevention, housing, workplace development, and victim and trauma services, this organization helps people overcome obstacles to build a better future.
Each year, the Center for Family Services Holiday Gift Project provides new holiday gifts to more than 2,000 kids and teens. Requested gifts include winter coats, clothing, gift cards, books, educational toys, toiletries, sheets, and more.
How can you help?
- Sponsor a child’s wish list
- Donate gift cards
- Donate gifts
- Donate funds
There are a variety of local nonprofits in need of support this holiday season. From donating lightly-used items to monetary gifts and sponsorships, you can make a difference in the lives of a Philadelphia family in need. If you’re making donations to downsize in preparation for a move, our expert team is ready to protect your belongings and make your move stress-free. Contact us today for an estimate.