Phone -- 314.286.0995, Karen Rieker
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Thank you for your interest in our Wish List and/or Gifts-In-Kind. We believe that a simple toy not only comforts an ill child, but also aids in the recovery process. We have listed below some frequently asked questions in reference to gift-in-kind donations to St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
What is a gift-in-kind?
Gifts-in-kind are donations of tangible gifts versus money. For example, a donor might give a new toy, book or game to the hospital for the patients. We accept these items throughout the year.
Can I donate used items?
We can only accept new, unopened items. Used toys could harbor unknown germs and bacteria, which could potentially be a danger to our patients. We do accept very gently used books and (non-violent) VHS and DVD movies for children of all ages.
Why can’t gently used toys be cleaned and used in the hospital playroom?
The cleaning and disinfection of used toys is quite difficult; toys can have many parts, some cannot be cleaned due to the material they are made of, etc. Used stuffed animals also pose a risk to our asthma patients. The fur on the toy can harbor allergens that could trigger an asthma attack. While we gratefully acknowledge your intentions, for the safety of the children we maintain a standard of accepting only new, unused toys and ask that our Child Life Services staff be the distributor of such toys.
What can I do with my gently used toys?
If you have gently used toys you would like to benefit children in need, our suggestion is to donate them to a women and children’s shelter in the St. Louis area. You can refer to the St. Louis Yellow pages for this information.
Can I personally deliver gifts to patients?
Unfortunately, our policies prohibit this practice. We must remember that the children are at St. Louis Children’s Hospital because they are ill. They may not feel comfortable with visitors other than their family members. Also, due to the Federal HIPAA Law (privacy of patient) and our own strict infectious disease control policy, we cannot allow outside visitors on the patient floors to deliver gifts to our patients at any time of year.
Gifts may be dropped off at the hospital with the 1st or 2nd floor lobby information desk staff at any time. If you drop gifts off, please leave your contact and address information inside the bag or box of gifts, so that we may send an acknowledgment to you. Or if you would like to set up an appointment to drop the gifts off and meet a staff member from the Foundation or Child Life Services, call Karen Rieker at 314.286.0995.
Is there a particular time of year that is better to donate new toys?
During the holidays, we tend to receive an abundance of wonderful items for the patients from very generous donors, but we also have a need for gifts in the spring, summer and fall. We try to give birthday gifts to patients celebrating birthdays in the hospital. We also give little toys to patients before or after receiving a procedure - to help cheer them up - or as prizes for our weekly bingo games.
What type of service project can my group or school do to help the kids at the hospital?
Many schools, organizations, and Girl Scout and Boy Scout Troops call inquiring on what projects could help benefit our patients. Following are some suggested craft ideas:
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Fleece Blankets (no sewing required) - a 3' x 3' or 4' x 4' piece of newly purchased fleece material. Cut 3" into the fabric around the entire square piece of fabric, making fringe. Tie off each fringe into a knot where the fringed cut meets the material. These are given to the infants, toddlers and older children as a comfort item.
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Bedrolls for the infants (to keep them from rolling on their stomachs) - 8" x 50" piece of newly purchased soft fabric. Fold and sew material over length wise with right sides together leaving the now 4" end open. Turn right side out and stuff with batting, leaving the bedroll flexible enough that you can bend it. Sew up the 4" opening.
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Comfort Pillows - could make 12" round or square with right sides together, sew and leave 3" opening. Turn right side out, stuff with batting and sew the opening closed. This is a great security item for a child.
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Coloring books rolled up like a paper towel tube. Take an 8 or 12 pack of crayons out of the package and put in the middle of the coloring book tube. Wrap in tissue paper, tie off the ends with ribbon (like a Tootsie Roll).
What type of items could my group collect in a drive?
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Coloring books or activity books and crayons. Put one book and one pack of crayons in a small gift bag or paper bag and decorate the bag. These can be given to the patients coming through the Emergency Room, getting lab work or x-rays. They are great at keeping the kids occupied while waiting for a procedure.
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Small craft kit projects/jewelry kits.
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Small personal items: shampoo, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, brush. These items are for children going into foster care or for parents who hadn’t planned on their child being admitted to the hospital.
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Disposable cameras and small photo albums are great gifts for our teenagers! The cameras are also wonderful for our patients and their families - who may end up spending a birthday in the hospital and the parents don’t have their camera with them - or for the parents of the newborns in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit - who want pictures of their babies for their baby books. These are very popular and "in demand" items!
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Stickers, pencils, fun erasers, small toys, jewelry, crayons, coloring books, small stuffed animals, cards, small purses, hot wheels, etc. are great items to give to patients as a reward or to help comfort them while going through a medical procedure.
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Books or videos (they can be new or very gently used books or videos) help make a child’s stay more enjoyable. Also, we cannot accept any R rated movies or violent type books.
If you wish to hold a drive or collection of any kind, please contact Karen Rieker at 314.286.0995 so she can approve any signage you may want to use.
I’m having a birthday party. Can I give the birthday gifts I receive to the patients?
Lately, this has been a frequent request from children who are having birthday parties. Instead of the birthday child’s friends or family members giving them a new toy or game, the birthday child asks that items be purchased off our hospital wish list. It can be anything from a toy, game, book, disposable camera, personal care item, etc. After the birthday party, the birthday child’s parent will schedule a time to give us the toys they collected. This is nice because it serves two purposes: you can give a gift in honor of the birthday child, plus a sick child will receive a gift that will help cheer him/her.
May I have a tour of the hospital?
On certain occasions, a brief tour of our Olson Family Garden can be given to people who are donating gift-in-kind items for all the patients in the hospital and are over the age of 16.
If you have any other questions, please contact Karen Rieker at 314.286.0995.