Delhi-Based Bank That Recycles Toys And Smiles. Try It Today!

When I walk into my children’s room ( actually pretty much any part of the house) it’s normally strewn with toys and books. Most kids nowadays have an abundance of toys, games and books and little appreciation for it all. As a parent, I do have ‘clean up time’ rules but they’re not always followed. The kids have so many toys that are stuffed into various cupboards and they haven’t even looked at them in months. Recently, I read about The Toy Bank in Delhi and that’s when I decided that it was time to put a smile on another child’s face instead of just mine.

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What Is The Toy Bank?

The Toy Bank is an NGO that collects toys, restores them and then distributes them to children who need them. Their mission statement is  “Recycle toys- Recycle smilesâ€_x009d_ on young faces. They believe that every child has the right of play and there are thousands of kids who are denied this right. With so many families barely making ends meet, toys are a luxury these families can’t afford. When minister Vijay Goel was campaigning against the addiction of playing lotteries in 1987, he came into contact with a lot of families with kids and it broke his heart to see the condition of their childhood. His daughter Vidyun Goel and her friends helped him make The Toy Bank possible and they have all worked hard to put a smile on the faces of children across the city. Till date, the NGO has contributed to bettering the lives of over five lakh children.

Why Toys?

They realized that a toy is actually the first step towards educating a child. For most children, a toy is a source of entertainment, but there are also other uses of a toy – from enhancing cognitive thinking and motor skills to emotional well-being.  As children grow up, they discard their old toys and turn to newer ones. Earlier toys were made of a material which was not durable, but now the advances in toy making technology enable most toys to be cleaned and they’re almost as good as new. So they decided to use toys – from blocks to board games they have distributed all kinds.

How Does The Toy Bank Work?

The Toy Bank has collection centres spread across the city. These collection centres are spread across Delhi-NCR and are the homes or offices of volunteers who have offered a small place in their premises as a collection centre. They provide easy access to anyone who wishes to donate toys.

They also collect toys via collection drives organised at various private schools and corporate houses. The drive called Skool-2-Skool collects toys at private schools and redistributes the recycled toys at MC schools across Delhi-NCR. The motive behind these drives is to encourage parents and children to donate as many toys that could help in bringing more smiles. The Toy Bank goes the extra mile of trying to matching each toy to a kid’s age, gender, intellect and interest. They also work closely with partners who work with government schools, Anganvaadis, Shelter Homes, Children Hospitals and in Slum and Rural Areas.

How Can You Help Put A Smile On A Child’s Face?

The Toy Bank has collection centres across the city. You can find the list here.