Charities across the US have been overwhelmed with the task of screening donations for recalled toys.
The volunteers must spend hours cross-checking every donated toy against the list, taking them away from service programs and fund-raising drives.
“It’s a tip on this, a wheel on that, a little sign on such and such, the bumper on that,” said Roger Miller of the Salvation Army branch in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. “T hey go nuts trying to get it all done as it is.”
The Salvation Army in Charlotte, N.C., had planned to give away at least 10,000 stockings filled with toys, but it says it faces a severe shortage.
“Our auxiliary this summer ordered items to put in those stockings, and more than half of them were recalled,” said Shelley Spillios of the Charlotte affiliate. “We are scrambling to find what we can put in the stockings to take the place of the recalled items.”
In Boise, Idaho, 15 Marines were detailed to sift through 27,787 toys collected by the Corps’ Toys for Tots campaign.
“We are taking every precaution we can at this point to make sure that every toy is touched and that we grab every recalled toy that is donated to make sure it doesn’t get into the hands of one of the children we’re trying to help this Christmas,” Marine Maj. Ron Storer said.
I think the bigger issues is that parents don’t know what to do with all of these toys that are being recalled. When a recall is issued, most of the manufacturers offer a refund, or free replacement.
Try contact the company to find out what they want you to do with the toy, don’t give it to charity.
