Robin emailed us wondering where to drop off toys for kids in need. “I’m having a terrible time finding a decent article listing Seattle area (let alone Ballard area) donation drop locations,” Robin writes. It turns out that the closest drop off location is at the 145th Aurora Storage (14540 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline.) According to the Toys for Tots website, “Due to low donations this year we are requesting additional toys from the community. Currently we are short approximately 50,000 toys for King County. All age groups are needed, which consist of ages: infant through 13, boys and girls.” They’re asking for donations to be taken to their Auburn warehouse (1903 C St SW, warehouse #8, Auburn, WA) or to their other drop-off locations, such as Shoreline. The 145th Aurora Storage is open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (If a Ballard business wants to collect toys, the Geeky Swedes will be happy to run them to Shoreline. Please email us: tips@myballard.com)
Update: From Seattle Fire twitter: Seattle Fire Stations are drop off points for Toys for Tots. Donate new unwrapped toys thru Dec 20.
Thanks for sharing this. I hope readers in Ballard who have storefronts will consider adding a drop bin to their locations!
I'm headed up to Shoreline on Wednesday to drop off toys if anyone wants to add to our collection email me at marvelgirl(at)gmail.com.
My son Nathan heard about the need, donated $50 of his own money (not a small amount for a 9 year old!) and I matched it. We now seem to be doing a mini toy drive amongst our friends, and so it would delight him to add more and I'll be headed up there anyway!
Thanks for tracking this down. Should the gifts be wrapped or unwrapped? Do they need a tag stating what age group/gender/what the gift is, if wrapped?
No, no, no … there are closer drop stations to Ballard. For one, all the fire stations will take donations. I dropped off a few toys at the fire station at 13th and Dravus in Queen Anne last week, so I know for sure they do.
I agree though, the Toys for Tots web site could be a LOT more helpful in getting the word out about their needs and drop box locations.
Gifts should be new and unwrapped.
I believe most local drop offs are “closed” at this point because the deadline is so close. They begin handing out toys on Friday.
Due to increased demand and decreased donations they have had to really limit who gets toys this year, and they are still 50,000 short of *that* goal.
there is a donation bin our nine yr old organized in adams elementary school library here in ballard, they will take gently used toys too for other organizations like tree house, too!
demian – did Adams send anything out about this? We were looking to donate some toys and that would have been perfect for our daughter to take them to school with her today. We ended up taking them somewhere else but I would have loved to been able to bring them to Adams instead. We were just talking yesterday about the lack of toy drop offs here in Ballard.
I just called the toys for tots number on their local website, and they said unwrapped toys can be dropped off at 145th & Aurora in Shoreline until this Saturday (Dec. 19). To donate money, go online to the national toys for tots website. The Seattle Fire Department confirmed that toys can be dropped off at fire stations until December 20th.
Karen
There are lots of toys available in the market and in the net. Try to search with google or yahoo, there are lot’s of companies that enables online shopping of toys. Virtual games are very rare gifts you should try it.
Thank you so much for tracking this down. Ballard is known for toys. I hope everyone will cooperate with this.