The Christmas season is one of my favorite times of the year! After the gifts have been unwrapped, all of the cookies have been eaten, and the Christmas tree has been taken down, somehow I am always surprised that we suddenly have twice as many toys as we did in November! That means it is time to downsize our toy collection. Some years I involve my children to teach them about generosity and sharing as they choose a certain number of toys to give to other children. Some years I decide the “slow leak” strategy, where toys just mysteriously disappear from our house, is better suited for certain family members. However you choose to Marie Kondo your toy box, here are local places that will take your gently used toys, books, and sports gear, and turn them into comfort for a child in foster care, funding for programs to help abused women, medical care for underserved populations, or a wish for a child with cancer.
Please be sure that your donations are clean, in good condition, and do not have any missing parts.
Local Nonprofit Organizations
Alabama Pregnancy Test Center (APTC)
At the APTC, moms and dads who attend parenting classes earn “dollars” that can be spent in their Stork’s Nests, boutiques full of items for children under 2 years old, including toys.
Locations, Hours, and Contact:
Alabama Pregnancy Test Center
1449 Medical Park South, Suite 300, Birmingham, AL 35213
Monday–Thursday: 9:00 AM – 4: 00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
(205) 961-2700
North Jefferson Women’s Center
1209 Decatur Highway, Fultondale, AL 35068
Monday–Thursday: 9:00 AM – 4: 00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
(205) 808-9001
Pregnancy Test Center
1480 McGuire Road, Birmingham, AL 35216
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
(205) 979-0302
Garrett’s Place
Garrett’s Place in Bessemer serves foster children and families by providing for basic needs, emotional support, and community. As children are placed with new foster families, Garrett’s House provides a suitcase and allows foster children to shop for clothes, toys, books, school supplies, and other items from their “store” free of charge.
Location: 112 20th Street North, Bessemer, AL, 35020
Hours: Tuesday- Thursday from 10:00 AM- 3:00 PM
Contact: (205) 424-3696 or [email protected]
Kids Connection
Kids Connection is a ministry of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood. They show God’s love by providing for the physical and spiritual needs of children up to age 16 whose parents or guardians do not have the resources to meet all of those needs.
Location: Donations can be placed in their van parked on Evergreen Avenue behind Dawson Church.
Hours: The van is open for donations every day.
Contact: (205) 871-7324 or [email protected]
Thrift Stores
There are several thrift stores in the area that benefit local, national, and international ministries and philanthropic organizations.
Encore Thrift Shop
Encore Thrift Shop in Homewood benefits the Assistance League, which is dedicated to helping people in the local community achieve a better, more meaningful way of life. Their programs include Operation School Bell and Operation Literacy, through which they provide school aged children with clothing, hygiene essentials, and books.
Location: 1755 Oxmoor Road, Birmingham, AL 35209
Hours: Tuesday- Saturday, 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
Contact:(205) 870-5555
King’s Home Thrift Store
King’s Home provides shelter, safety, resources, and support to abused youth, women, and children, offering them a pathway to a brighter future. Their thrift store supports these programs.
Locations, Hours, and Contact:
Eastwood
1569 Cooper Hill Road, Irondale, AL 35210
Monday- Saturday 8:00 AM- 8:00 PM
(205) 956-5658
Hanceville
306 Main Street SE, Hanceville, AL 35077
Monday- Saturday 8:00 AM- 7:00 PM
(256) 352-6068
Pinson
4496 Center Point Road, Pinson, AL 35126
Monday- Saturday 8:00 AM- 8:00 PM
(205) 683-0500
Talladega
65364 AL-77 Highway, Talladega, AL 35160
Monday- Saturday 8:00 AM- 8:00 PM
(256) 213-0002
Find a donation bin in your area HERE
Schedule pick up HERE
Lovelady Thrift Store
The Lovelady Center helps women rebuild their lives by teaching them how to overcome barriers to success. Their thrift stores generate over half of the operating budget for the Lovelady Center, and their clients receive training by working in the stores through their job readiness program.
Locations:
Irondale Thrift Store
7720 Ludington Lane, Irondale, AL 35210
Clay Thrift Store
2402 Old Springville Road, Birmingham, AL 3521
Hours: 9:00 AM- 9:00 PM
Contact: You can drop off items or schedule a home pick up by calling (205) 951-9230.
Vapor Thrift Store
Profits from the Vapor Thrift Stores fund Vapor Ministries, which provides clean water, food, jobs, and health services to thousands of people in multiple countries.
Locations:
Westover
11271 Hwy 280, Birmingham, AL 35147
Vestavia Hills
1069 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216
Greystone
5443 Hwy 280, Birmingham, AL 35242
Hours: Monday- Saturday 9:00 AM- 7:00 PM
You can drop off items or schedule a home pick up HERE
America’s Thrift Stores
America’s Thrift Stores supports six different children’s health and addiction recovery charities, including Make-A-Wish Alabama, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Home of Grace, Adult & Teen Challenge Mid- South, Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee, and Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge.
Locations, Hours, and Contact:
Huffman
1125 Huffman Road, Birmingham, AL 35215
Hours: Monday- Saturday 8:00 AM- 9:00 PM, Sunday 11:00 AM- 7:00 PM
(205) 856-6774
Bessemer
528 A West Town Plaza, Bessemer, AL 35020
Hours: Monday- Saturday 8:00 AM- 9:00 PM, Sunday 11:00 AM- 7:00 PM
(205) 426-7086
Alabaster
218 2nd Street SW, Alabaster, AL 35007
Hours: Monday- Saturday 8:00 AM- 9:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM- 8:00 PM
(205) 664-0777
You can drop off items or schedule a home pick up online HERE or by calling 1-800-964-4567
Goodwill
Goodwill provides gainful employment, education, and training programs to help all Alabamians attain their highest potential and achieve self-sufficiency.
There are many thrift store locations and drop off centers nearby. You can find one near you HERE.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army thrift stores provide work therapy and fund their Adult Rehabilitation Centers, which help participants learn to live healthy, fulfilling lives.
The Salvation Army has several locations in the area. Look HERE for nearby drop off locations, thrift store locations, and information to schedule a pick up.
Other Local Options
Check with your local church nursery, preschool, or daycare to see if they are in need of new toy items.
Ask if younger friends or family members are interested in your gently used toys.
To make a little extra money, consider storing toys until the next local consignment sale. Those are usually held in February and August, and BMC posts an updated list of local consignment sale locations and dates each season.
We all have dolls, games, and books that are no longer used. Don’t just throw them away! Repurposing your forgotten toys doesn’t just help you de-clutter your home. By donating to one of these great organizations, you can spread joy to a child in foster care, fund programs to help abused women and children, give job training to someone in recovery, or provide clean water and food to someone across the world!
