Thanks for all you do. You guys Rock!!
Jan 02, 2011
Dec 30, 2010
Dec 29, 2010
Second Chance Toy of New York City Helps Make the Holiday a Happy One for Over 2,400 Kids
Each year, thousands of needy children depend on the love and generosity of their neighbors to help make the holiday a happy one. Many larger, well funded organizations reach out to the community, ask for donations and are able to offer food, clothing, gifts and toys to needy families. Pleas of many smaller organizations are never heard. This year, according to Jocelyn Goldberg, founder of the New York City Chapter of Second Chance Toys, "Many smaller charities that don’t have the resources or manpower to ask for help were able to come to our website and connect with toy drives going on throughout New York City. Drives held at organizations like Rapid Park Garages -- located throughout Manhattan –were able to collect and donate over 2,400 toys to organizations that otherwise would never have been able to connect with them.
This year toys were donated to groups that include:
- Association to Benefit Children
- East Harlem Community Center
- New Creation Christian Church
- Mother-Child Crisis Center (Covenant House)
- Dads United for Parenting (Midtown Community Court)
- Brooklyn Family Defense Project
- St John’s Place Family Shelter
- Toys of Hope
- Save the Children of NY
- NY Kids Foundation
- Bethel Gospel Assembly
1-800-GotJunk? donated time and services to transport the toys to each of these organizations.
Temple Shaaray Tefila & Second Chance Toys brighten up the holidays at Homes for the Homeless in NYC
This year, toys collected by Temple Shaaray Tefila’s Hebrew School program in New York City were donated to the Prospect Family Inn and the Williamsbridge Family Inn – two local centers operated by Homes for the Homeless. More than 200 children will receive a toy as a result of the drive, helping make this December’s holidays extra special. Children enrolled in the daycare programs were given the opportunity to select their toy from under the tree, which was a special event for the centers last Monday afternoon. These centers serve 512 families and more than 600 children every day. According to Margaret Menghini, Program Associate at Homes for the Homeless, toys and play time are extremely important to the positive development of young children. This type of contribution, plus others from community organizations, help us provide our residents with the various items they need to get by on a day-to-day basis. We are truly grateful for our partnership with Second Chance Toys and for the creative way they are recycling plastic toys and help less privileged children in the community”.
Dec 26, 2010
Harmony House Early Learning Center in Newark Loves Their Second Chance Toys!
Children from the Harmony House Early Learning Center in Newark are seen here with Drew Trautman, franchise partner with 1-1800-Got-Junk?, who made the Dec. 15th toy delivery to the pre-school on behalf of Second Chance Toys. The center is owned and operated by the non-profit New Community Corporation.
Who Needs Flying Reindeer? We’ve Got 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
Second Chance Toys of PA salutes the team at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? for their great help in moving toys from where we collect them to where they need to go to get them to the kids. We could not make so many children happy without your desire and effort to help whenever, however and no matter what! THANK YOU! You epitomize what community service and the holiday service are really all about!
Second Chance Toys Holiday Spirit Strikes at Logan Annex Head Start
There was lots of holiday cheer in the air at Our Lady of Hope Church on December 23. The kids of Logan Annex Head Start received lots of shiny gifts compliments of Second Chance Toys of PA, and had personal “sit-downs” with Santa Claus too!!! That is what we call a very special day indeed!
Second Chance Toys of PA Volunteers at “Work”!
Hey, it’s not really “work” when you are having fun! Here is the Second Chance Toys of PA core team and some volunteers helping Santa make it happen for the kids during the holiday season of 2010!
"Merry Christmas" to Feltonville Head Start!
Second Chance Toys of PA donated hundreds of great toys to the children of Feltonville Head Start this holiday season. The toys were distributed to the kids on December 21. Smiling faces all around. Happy holidays! Ho Ho Ho!
Holiday Festivities at Trinidad Head Start
What a great time on December 22. The kids dressed up and performed in true holiday style for friends and family. Second Chance Toys provided wonderful toys for every single child just in time for the holidays. And -- Santa even made a surprise appearance too! A tremendous time was had by all!
Dec 21, 2010
Dec 19, 2010
Dec 17, 2010
Help Children + Help the Earth
RESCUE + RECYCLE plastic toys
Second Chance Toys is a 501(c)3 non-profit which rescues unwanted plastic toys that are gently used and distributes them to children in need through local community organizations, while at the same time, helping the environment.
100,000 Toys and Growing
WOW! Over 15,000 toys were collected and donated in just the last few holiday weeks of 2011 as we wrapped up another amazing year at Second Chance Toys. We broke a new milestone of over 100,000 toys donated. Woot!
Thanks to everyone near and far for all your love and support. We will have a whole new look and website launching in early 2012 to help fuel our growing 'movement' across the USA and beyond.
Please check back in the coming weeks for more exciting news.
Happy new year!
Help Us Grow - Please Donate $$
By making a monetary tax deductible contribution* you will be helping us grow our efforts to reach and serve more deserving children. Please click on the "DONATE" button on the top left or send your gift to Second Chance Toys, PO Box 1233, Mountainside, NJ 07092.
*Second Chance Toys is a 501c3 charitable organization and your generous donations are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law.
We thank you so much....and more importantly, all the kids thank you!
Be Good And Green!
DONATE TOYS: Plastic only, must be clean, no small or missing parts and battery powered toys must be fully operational. Check back for our growing list of drop-off locations.
DONATE MONEY: Your generous donations really help us do more. Please click the "Donate" button on top left to pay by credit card or send your tax deductible gifts to Second Chance Toys, PO Box 1233, Mountainside, NJ 07092. We are a 501c3 charitable organization.
DONATE TIME: If you know of friends, families, students, businesses, organizations, scouts, or religious groups that are looking for a great team-building community service project, please let us know or click on Second_Chance_Toys_Getting_Started_Kit.pdf. Contact us at blipton@secondchancetoys.org.
CREATE CONNECTIONS: If you know of an organization serving disadvantaged children that can benefit from a donation of Second Chance Toys, please contact us at blipton@secondchancetoys.org. We love to see those smiling faces!!
SPREAD THE WORD: Please let others know about Second Chance Toys by passing on our information to help create a groundswell of interest and support!!
BECOME A SPONSOR: Your company can GET GREEN and DO GOOD garnering exposure by providing support or sponsoring a project or community wide effort. Let's start the conversation soon!! Please contact us at blipton@secondchancetoys.org
Together we can really make a difference!!!
Choka Lyme for Hope Brings Second Chance Toys to Families in Newark.
Choka Lyme For Hope conducted a toy drive with Second Chance Toys which was a great success. The abundance of collected toys were delivered to Babyland In Newark, New Jersey. Bobby Roghubir spoke on behalf of Choca Lyme "It was our pleasure to be apart of this program and the recipients are a great organization who were very welcoming and appreciative of our efforts. We look forward to working with Second Chance Toys on future toy drives."
Dec 16, 2010
Dec 15, 2010
Mill Creek Elementary School Students Conduct Amazing Toy Drive For Second Consecutive Year!
Don't mess with those kids and families from Mill Creek Elementary School in Warrington, PA. They know how to organize a toy drive! Do they ever! They filled our 15 x 15 cubic yard 1-800-GOT-JUNK? truck up to the gills with gently used plastic toys; great toys to be recycled and distributed to literally hundreds and hundreds of kids in our community just in time for the holidays. That is community and holiday spirit at its best. Thanks to Principal Leonard Schwartz, Home & School leader, Stephanie McDonald and all the great students who helped make the December 3-10 toy drive such a resounding success for the second year in a row. Some say "Ho Ho Ho" at this time of the year! We simply say "Wow, you are the greatest!!
Dec 14, 2010
Dec 12, 2010
Way to Go Girl Scout Troop 21808 and Warwick Elementary School!
Talk about a team effort. Led by Girl Scout Troop 21808, the students, families and Parent-Teachers-Organization of Warwick Elementary School in Warwick, PA orchestrated a very successful toy drive and collection in support of Second Chance Toys of PA from November 22 to December 1, 2010. All banned together to help many needy children in the Bucks County and surrounding areas hopefully enjoy the holidays a little bit more this year. Many boxes and bags were filled with reusable plastic toys collected by the Girls Scouts at the school. This is the first year the scouts have coordinated with Second Chance Toys and we are very proud of them for their truly outstanding efforts. They are helping to make a positive difference in the lives of other children and our environment!
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church Fills The Truck Again
The great kids and families of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Doylestown, PA organized another successful toy collection on November 20, 2010 in support of Second Chance Toys of PA. Once again, our 1800GOTJUNK truck was filled with quality, polished-up toys that will make hundreds of deserving children in our community very happy this holiday season. This is the third year in a row that Mount Carmel has supported Second Chance Toys of PA activities. We are not only impressed by this consistent effort, but very grateful indeed! Thanks to all who pitched in. Special thanks to Laurie Frayne who coordinates these activities at the church and to Eric Blum from 1800GOTJUNK who helps us get the toys where they need to go.
Dec 01, 2010
Troop 335 Brightens the Holiday for Needy Children
Girl Scout Troop 335 of Manalapan has been very busy this holiday season. As part of their Bronze Award project, the troop held used toy drives in their neighborhoods to benefit Second Chance Toys.
The troop collected over 13 bags of gently used plastic toys in addition to two bags of new toys, two large plastic kitchens, a desk, an art easel and a Barbie jeep. Next, the girls cleaned the toys and made sure they were in working order. The toys were then dropped off to the Marlboro, NJ Branch of Investors Savings bank. They will soon be transported by volunteers from 1-800-Got Junk? to organizations that will distribute them to children in need.
In addition to having lots of fun, the girls learned about the value of recycling to help the environment as well as the importance of helping those less fortunate than themselves.
Giving your barely used toys a new lease on life
Check out what Long Island Examiner has to say.
Nov 14, 2010
Every kid can be a hero
Check out what a Chicago mom blogger has to say about Second Chance Toys http://kids-help-kids.blogspot.com/
Long Island Family Examiner Love Second Chance Toys
You can find the article at:
http://www.examiner.com/family-in-long-island/what-to-do-with-your-kids-unwanted-toys
Nov 09, 2010
Second Chance Toys Begins to Post Holiday 2010 Collection Sites
Over 85 drop-off locations are presently available throughout New York and New Jersey. More locations will continue to be added during November.
Oct 26, 2010
Second Chance Toys Expands to Long Island
Hi, my name is Carey Campbell and I’m the mother of three young children, two boys and a girl. They are wonderful! But they seem to come with far too many accessories. I had my three in as many years, so it was very easy to reuse and recycle, but when my little one started to outgrow things, I was in a quandary. Most of the toys she had were plastic and still had a lot of life in them, but we had the youngest children of anyone we knew, so I had a hard time finding them new homes. When my friend suggested I just throw them out because it was easier, I knew I had to do something. That statement officially started my mission. I searched the internet (because that’s what you do when you need an answer immediately) and Second Chance Toys came up. I was sold.
Now, I am the go to mom for recycling. I am very active in my children’s schools and I make it a point to tell their teachers the mission of Second Chance Toys. Last Earth Week was my first time organizing the donations, and it was amazing. We collected over 400 toys (I quit counting after that) and the best part was that I had so many people thanking me because they had nowhere to give their toys to. People want to help, but need to know how, or where to give. Second Chance Toys is an amazing outlet for everyone. I made a lot of friends and have somehow even convinced my 6, 4 ½ and 3 year old that giving toys to OTHER people can feel really good.
Plainview Families LOVE Second Chance Toys!
Oct 19, 2010
Second Chance Toys Now "Down Under"
Second Chance Toys of Sydney Open for Business
My name is Cheryl Staddon; I am a Mum of two boys aged 12 and 9 and live in a beautiful part of Sydney in New South Wales Australia.
I am passionate about protecting our environment, assisting others in the community that need some extra help and I’m very excited to be starting up Second Chance Toys in Sydney.
Earlier this year I was cleaning out my boys toy cupboards, finding near-new toys stored away that had hardly been played with and wondering what to do with them. Many of these toys were barely used, in great condition and could give kids hours of enjoyment. After handing on some toys to kids of appropriate ages, I was still left with some great toys that were too good to be thrown away.
I spent time researching charities to see if someone would accept used toys and found that a number of charities do but it was my responsibility to get these toys to these organisations. My Husband was convinced that someone in Australia must have a solution to this problem but it appears that so far no one has!
That’s when I came across the website for Second Chance Toys in the USA.
What a fantastic organisation and such a simple idea, to rescue unwanted plastic toys and distribute to children in need through local community organisations, while at the same time, helping the environment.
The wonderful organisers at Second Chance Toys are very happy to assist me in starting up a Sydney affiliation of Second Chance Toys and I will be co-ordinating a couple of toys drives through some local scout groups before Christmas.
I would love to hear from anyone interested in getting involved in Second Chance Toys Sydney either to donate toys, volunteer or become a sponsor.
For more information about Second Chance Toys Sydney, contact Cheryl Staddon by email at siryls1@optusnet.com.au
Sep 18, 2010
Mommy Blogger Starts Newest Affiliate: Second Chance Toys of Chicago
Second Chance Toys is proud to announce another important affiliate to our line up. Mommy blogger, Alison Ray, is a wife, mommy and business owner raising two daughters city style. In 2009 Alison launched the premier resource and social event group for sassy, sophisticated moms, Sassy Moms in the City (SMITC).
Alison officially kicked off the Chicago affiliate of Second Chance Toys this summer by asking guests, at her daughter’s birthday party, to donate gently used plastic toys in lieu of a gift. Toys were then donated to the West Side Future YMCA.
Alison is truly all about helping to REDUCE clutter, REUSE toys and RECYCLE happiness! She notes, “Second Chance Toys offers parents an outlet to not only free up space in their own lives, but to recycle and repurpose their unneeded toys and brighten the day of children of need within their own community.”
For more information about donations in the Chicago area, visit her website, the Second Chance Toys website, or contact Alison directly at sassymoms@metromeg.com.
Aug 29, 2010
Second Chance Toys Receives 501(c)3 Status From IRS!! (@secondchancetoy)
Following more than 4 years of development and growth, what started as a local community project has grown to become a vital non-profit organization serving our mother earth and needy children everywhere. If you're interested in helping us by making a tax deductible contribution (to the extent allowable by law), please let us know. If you would like to volunteer, we welcome hearing from you as well. Thanks!
Aug 07, 2010
Art Imitates Life!
It’s as if the writers of Toy Story 3 consulted the Second Chance Toys website to get their material! As Andy leaves for college, his toys are excited at the prospect of being donated to a daycare center and getting a second chance to make other children happy.
The simpler, older-style toys of Toy Story 3 are those that depend more on a child’s imagination to be fully enjoyed. Second Chance Toys was founded on the knowledge that toys are essential tools of play and socialization and are important in helping children develop their imaginations.
The story line also points up the goal of the toys……quite simply, the desire to be loved and played with……. and of course, to avoid the landfill at all costs! Second Chance Toys is happy to be bringing toys and children together and keeping plastics out of our landfills!
May the squeals of joy continue!!
May 26, 2010
Congregation Commits to Cause
Congregation B’nai Jeshurun (TBJ) ran a used plastic toy drive in partnership with Second Chance Toys during Earth Week, 2010. The religious school and Early Childhood Center (ECC) participated in the toy drive. Collection bins were placed in the TBJ lobby from April 18th through April 25th. We are happy to announce that we collected approximately 6 large plastic garbage bags full of toys of all sizes that were distributed to the ARC of Essex County. We look forward to partnering with Second Chance Toys in the future, as our congregation includes many families eager to help the greater community.
Second Chance Toys Breaks 50,000 Donations to Needy Children
Thanks to everyone who continues to drive our mission and make the achievement of these milestones possible. Together we are truly making a difference!
Donations of Second Chance Toys Delivers Gratification for All
To my kind & generous friends- both old & new,
I would like to thank every single one of you who donated your children’s toys- and I would especially like to thank all the kids who let them go!
We collected hundreds of toys – on day 2 of the drive I had to stop the tally because I was over 200 already and there were so many more to count. I was, and continue to be blown away by your selflessness. You may think that you were getting rid of some old dust collectors, but you were wrong. What you were really giving was hope. And love. And I will always be so grateful to all of you for that.
The group that was the recipient of your largess is The Guardian Angel Family Crisis Center, a not for profit group of people working to improve the lives of families all over Nassau County. It’s staffed by two social workers Barbara Costello and Elaine Cordova (who are quite gifted in their vocation). They bring many years of social work with them and a tremendous network of 50 social workers involved with the county. When your toys were delivered, social workers came with a list of their most needy families and hand picked “presents” for them. There were so many donations that they were able to host a “toy fair” when they opened their doors and allowed more families from social services to come and select just what they wanted! Everybody was so happy, and the children were delighted. (In fact there was so much, they are doing another pick up next Monday!!)
I know that lately we have all been asked to donate to so many worthwhile causes, and I am so glad and grateful you picked Second Chance Toys, whose mission is to keep plastic toys out of landfills and into the hands of children. Many of the recipients are our neighbors, who because of many factors, now find themselves in desperate need.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!
Carey Campbell
May 23, 2010
NY Kids Club & Second Chance Toys Make a Difference One Child at a Time
Since its inception in 2001, The New York Kids Club (www.nykidsclub.com) has been providing New York City kids a safe haven to learn, play, have fun and grow. Kids get a chance to swing on gyms, rock climb, play soccer, paint, sing, and cook up their own gourmet dishes while they work off a whole lotta steam. From the Upper West Side down to Brooklyn Heights NYKC’s 6 locations have become a community within the community for children 6 months - 12 years.
An important part of being a community, though, is giving back to the community. Under the visionary leadership of founder Pam Wolf, the New York Kids Club is constantly seeking new ways to get involved. As organizations begin tightening their purse strings in light of the current economic ebb, NYKC has pledged to continue to make charitable contributions and participation a top priority.
This spring, NYKC teamed up with Second Chance Toys to transform the fun into a good and green campaign to support Earth Day. Families rallied by donating their favorite “gently used” plastic toys to kids in the community that aren’t as fortunate.
“This year’s collection was over the top”, according to Jocelyn Goldberg, 15-year old founder of Second Chance Toys’ New York City Chapter. “We collected over 3,600 plastic toys that would have ultimately wound up in city landfills. Instead, they now are getting a second chance to brighten the day of children that really will appreciate them.”
Toys were donated to the Educational Alliance, Association to Benefit Children, and Homes for the Homeless. These organizations work tirelessly to provide shelter and educational programs serving tens of thousands of families in need each year. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? helped bring it all together by transporting toy donations from NYKC to each of the facilities.
May 18, 2010
JFK Elementary School in Jamesburg, NJ Learn About Doing Good and Green #Recycle
For the past 2 months, the students at JFK Elementary School in Jamesburg, NJ, have been working on a project to recycle gently used toys. After the toys were brought to school, the Student Council cleaned them and made sure they were in good working order. The kids learned the value of recycling to help our environment, as well as the importance of giving to children in need. We donated approximately 200 toys to Catholic Charities in New Brunswick, NJ. The drive was extremely successful.
We would like to thank Second Chance Toys for sharing this idea with us and making a difference in the lives of many children.
May 11, 2010
Virginia Moms Pull Together for Earth Week
Our first collection in Virginia was a success! The Moms Club of Haymarket, Virginia contributed 75 of their children’s toys to send to Appalachia. Renee Johnson, Administrative Vice President of the Moms Club, spearheaded the effort. Because the toys were donated to Sharing and Caring Hands, which serves the very needy of Appalachia, it was an especially gratifying experience.
May 08, 2010
NJ Volunteer Enjoys The Good and Green
First, I want to say I am so glad to have gotten involved with Second Chance Toys. While searching for a place to donate my own gently used toys, I came across the website and was inspired by the story of how this organization came to be. This was my first volunteer effort since being a stay at home mom for the past 3 years and it was a very rewarding experience.
I have to thank Greenwich Nursery School and Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church for helping distribute flyers and allow me to use their lot as the toy collection site. After sorting through all of the toys that people brought, I ended up with approximately 45 to 50 that were in great condition. There were quite a few more received that did not meet the requirements and in my opinion, were too old, dirty, and battered looking with missing pieces to accept for donation.
I cleaned, sanitized, and bagged all of the toys and delivered them to Investors Savings Bank in Clinton on April 21st where they were very appreciative and a great pleasure to deal with. I was sad to see they had only received one toy by that time, so I felt so good about my collection. All in all, I think it was a huge success for me personally and for Second Chance Toys. I think it is wonderful that these toys are going to end up in the hands of less fortunate children who will truly appreciate them, but we kept a lot of plastic out of the landfills as well.
Thanks again for inspiring me to get involved and please keep me in mind for any future volunteer opportunities. This was truly a wonderful experience and I look forward to doing more with Second Chance Toys in the future.
Dina Pinto
Clinton, NJ
May 04, 2010
Union County’s Trailside Museum Collects Second Chance Toys for Earth Day
Apr 27, 2010
Earth Week 2010 Toy Drives a Big Success for Second Chance Toys of PA
With the continued partnership of the wonderful team at 1-800-Got-Junk?, Second Chance Toys of PA sponsored a number of toys collections throughout the Greater Philadelphia community during Earth Week 2010. Toy drives were sponsored by several companies including TargetRx, Inc., VMS Movement Specialists LLC, Take Care Health, Inc. In addition, Oxford Valley Mall and Yardley Community Borough pitched in to lend a helping hand. Best of all, three local elementary schools got into the game with enthusiastic groups of local kids working together to shine up hundreds and hundreds of beautiful gently used plastic toys for deserving kids in our area. Hats off to the children, faculty, staff and parents at Gladwyne Elementary, Penn Valley Elementary and Lower Merion Elementary schools! What a great job by all! Recycling the toys and helping the kids in our area is what it is all about! Thank you!!
Apr 25, 2010
1-800-Got-Junk? and Investors Savings Bank a Winning Team for Earth Week!!!
Through the efforts of Investors Savings Bank, whose 65 branches served as toy drop off locations, and with the trucks and manpower of 1-800-Got-Junk? franchisees Drew Trautman, Doug Martin, and Jim Barrett, who picked up and delivered the toys to 20 organizations, nearly three thousand gently used plastic toys were collected and donated on this Earth Day all over New Jersey to children in need. This also means that as many toys were kept out of our landfills and are still providing hours of play, interaction and squeals of joy for so many youngsters. Many thanks to Investors Savings Bank and 1-800-Got Junk? for their continued support of our twice annual collections!
Mayor of Passaic Donates Second Chance Toys for Earth Week 2010
School lives up to its name for Earth Week
Evergreen
Mt Horeb School Does It Again for Earth Week!!
The students at
Apr 22, 2010
Apr 20, 2010
Evergreen Students Help Keep Plastic Toys Out of Our Landfills for Earth Week
In an effort to prevent unwanted plastic toys from clogging our landfills, Evergreen School in Scotch Plains, NJ conducted its third annual Earth Week toy collection with Second Chance Toys (www.secondchancetoys.org). Fourth grade students helped organize and tag over 300 toys that were collected with bilingual messages. The toys were donated to Helping Honduras .
Apr 19, 2010
1-800-Got-Junk? is Gearing Up to Transport Thousands of Rescued Plastic Toys. #Earth Day #Recycle
You have plastic toys. They have plastic toys. The family down the street has plastic toys. But so many needy young children go without them.
With Earth Week drives in full gear, 1-800-Got-Junk? helps make it all happen. With their full fleet of truck teams, they transport thousands of toys from dozens of collection sites to organizations serving needy children. We thank all the Franchise Partners who make it all possible. You are truly helping to make a difference. Both Good and Green!!!
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