Where to Donate Stuffed Animals in Toronto

Places That Accept Stuffed Animal Donations in Toronto

Toronto has several options for donating stuffed animals, stuffies, plushies and other soft toys, from scheduled pickup to children’s programs and thrift-store donation centres.

The best option depends on how many plush toys you have, their condition, whether they can be cleaned properly and whether you want pickup or prefer to drop them off yourself.

This guide covers practical Toronto stuffed animal donation options for teddy bears, character plushies, collectible plush, fabric dolls, puppets, Squishmallows and other reusable stuffies.

Toronto Stuffed Animal Donation Options

#1 DonateYourStuff.ca

DonateYourStuff.ca provides free scheduled donation pickup for qualifying stuffed animals, stuffies and plush toys throughout Toronto.

Donation method: Free scheduled pickup.

Accepts: Qualifying teddy bears, traditional stuffed animals, character plush toys, collectible plushies, fabric dolls, puppets, baby stuffies, interactive plush toys, vintage stuffed animals, Squishmallows and other reusable soft toys.

Locations and hours:

• Toronto: Pickup is available throughout Toronto rather than through a public drop-off location. Pickup dates and arrival windows are arranged for qualifying requests.

Important details: Stuffed animals must be freshly cleaned, completely dry and free from stains, mould, mildew, pest exposure, strong odours, excessive pet hair, major tears and exposed stuffing. Interactive plush toys must work properly, and battery compartments must be clean and complete.

Pickup is intended for donations large enough to reasonably justify sending a vehicle. One stuffed animal or a single small bag of stuffies will usually not qualify on its own. Several full bags or boxes, a larger plush collection or stuffed animals combined with other accepted donations are more likely to qualify.

Submit your location, approximate number of bags, boxes or storage containers and a general description of the plush toys. Mention collectible plushies, interactive stuffies or oversized stuffed animals when applicable. Your request is reviewed before pickup availability is confirmed by email.

Official Information:

Stuffed Animal Donation Pickup

Request a Donation Pickup

#2 Little Saint Nick Foundation Canada

Little Saint Nick Foundation Canada is a Toronto-based children’s organization that specifically requests stuffed animals among its donated toys.

Donation method: Arranged donation or shipment.

Accepts: New and unused stuffed animals, plush toys and other new children’s toys. The organization specifically identifies stuffed animals among the items it is looking for.

Where to donate:

Little Saint Nick Foundation Canada is headquartered in Toronto. Donors are asked to contact the organization for its current shipping or donation address.

Important details: Used plushies and previously played-with stuffies are not accepted because of sterilization requirements.

This option is therefore best for stuffed animals that are genuinely new and unused rather than pre-loved plush toys.

Official Information:

Little Saint Nick Foundation Donation Information

#3 Toronto Fire Fighters’ Toy Drive

The Toronto Fire Fighters’ Toy Drive provides a citywide option for donating new children’s toys through Toronto fire halls.

Donation method: Drop-off.

Accepts: New, unwrapped children’s toys. The Toy Drive states that all types of toys are welcome, making it an option for new stuffed animals, plush toys and unopened stuffies.

Toronto drop-off locations:

The program currently lists 84 Toronto fire hall drop-off locations and states that toy donations can be made throughout the year.

Its Toy Drive warehouse is located at:

• 2041 McCowan Road, Scarborough, ON M1S 3Y6

Important details: Plush toys should be new and unwrapped. This is not an option for used teddy bears or pre-loved plushies.

Check the current drop-off information before making a special trip, particularly outside the holiday season.

Official Information:

Toronto Fire Fighters’ Toy Drive

#4 Double Take

Double Take is a Toronto thrift store operated by Yonge Street Mission and specifically accepts clean used stuffed animals.

Donation method: Drop-off.

Accepts: Clean stuffed animals, dolls and action figures along with other reusable toys and games.

Location:

• 310 Gerrard Street East, Toronto, ON

Donation hours:

• Monday to Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Important details: Stuffies should be clean and in usable condition. Double Take does not accept broken or visibly damaged toys or items missing essential parts.

Donations must be handed to warehouse staff at the rear donation area. Double Take specifically states that it does not offer donation pickup.

Official Information:

Double Take Donation Guidelines

Double Take Contact Information

#5 The Pegasus Shoppe

The Pegasus Shoppe accepts pre-loved toys at its east Toronto thrift store.

Donation method: In-store drop-off.

Accepts: Reusable pre-loved children’s toys and games. Its current donation guidelines specifically welcome toys that children have outgrown.

Location:

• 931 Kingston Road, Toronto, ON M4E 1S6

Important details: Plush toys and stuffies should be clean and reusable. Because Pegasus lists toys broadly rather than publishing a separate stuffed-animal category, check with the store before bringing a particularly large plush collection.

Pegasus does not accept baby equipment such as strollers, playpens, high chairs or car seats, so those should be kept separate from toy donations.

Official Information:

Pegasus Shoppe Donation Information

Pegasus Shoppe Contact Information

#6 Value Village

Value Village Community Donation Centres provide another Toronto drop-off option for reusable toys.

Donation method: Drop-off at participating Community Donation Centres.

Accepts: Participating Toronto locations list games and toys among their accepted donation categories. Stuffed animals and plush toys should be clean and suitable for resale before being donated.

Toronto donation locations include:

• 772 Dovercourt Road, Unit 100
• 18 Edward Street, Units 3 and 5
• 2119 Danforth Avenue
• 3701 Lawrence Avenue East, Unit 1
• 1525 Victoria Park Avenue
• 1030 Wilson Avenue
• 2549 Weston Road
• 45 Woodbine Downs Boulevard

Important details: Not every Value Village store accepts donations. Check that the location is identified as a Community Donation Centre before taking your stuffies there.

Value Village is a for-profit thrift retailer. It accepts donated goods on behalf of nonprofit partners and pays those partners for the donated items.

Official Information:

Value Village Toronto Locations

How to Choose Where to Donate Stuffed Animals

You do not need to compare every organization again after reading the directory above. The main decision comes down to whether your plush is used or new, how many stuffies you have and whether they are clean enough for another person to use.

Pickup or Drop-Off?

If you have several full bags or boxes, a large childhood collection or stuffed animals combined with other qualifying donations, pickup may be more practical than transporting everything yourself.

For one or two teddy bears or a small bag of plushies, a nearby drop-off option may be easier.

Used or New Stuffies?

Separate new plush toys from stuffed animals that have already been played with.

Some children’s programs only accept brand-new plush because of hygiene or infection-control requirements.

Gently used stuffies have fewer options and need to be especially clean, dry and free from contamination.

What Condition Should Donated Stuffed Animals Be In?

Stuffed animals do not need to be new, but used plush toys need to be clean enough and intact enough for another person to handle and use comfortably.

Fabric Should Be Clean

Check plush toys for:

• Visible stains
• Food residue
• Sticky surfaces
• Excessive pet hair
• Smoke residue
• Strong pet odours
• Other persistent smells

A stuffie that still smells strongly after cleaning is not a good donation candidate.

Stuffies Must Be Completely Dry

Stuffed animals can hold moisture deep inside their filling.

Never pack a plush toy while it is still damp.

Trapped moisture can lead to mildew, mould and strong odours after the stuffie has been placed into a bag or box.

Seams Should Be Secure

Inspect:

• Arms and legs
• Neck seams
• Ears
• Tails
• Zippers
• Decorative stitching
• Areas around eyes and noses

Do not donate plush toys with major open seams or stuffing falling out.

Eyes, Noses and Decorations Should Be Secure

Check plastic eyes, noses, buttons, bows and other attached pieces.

Loose pieces can become a safety concern, particularly when the stuffed animal may be used by a young child.

Filling Should Still Be Usable

A stuffed animal can become heavily flattened or develop hard, damaged filling after years of use or improper washing.

Light flattening is different from a plush toy that has lost most of its shape or has clumped, hardened filling throughout.

Interactive Plush Should Work

Talking, singing, moving and light-up plush toys should be tested before donation.

Check:

• Battery compartment
• Battery cover
• Buttons
• Switches
• Speakers
• Movement
• Required controllers or accessories

Remove plush toys with leaking batteries, corrosion or exposed wiring.

How to Prepare Stuffed Animals for Donation

Read the Care Label

Check the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions before washing a stuffie.

Different plush fabrics, internal fillings and electronic parts require different cleaning methods.

Machine Wash When Appropriate

Many basic stuffed animals can be machine washed.

A mesh laundry bag or pillowcase can help protect the plush during washing.

Use the care label to determine the appropriate cycle and temperature.

Hand Wash Delicate Plushies

Older stuffed animals, handmade stuffies and delicate collectible plush may not be suitable for a washing machine.

Hand washing or careful spot cleaning may be safer for these items.

Dry Stuffies Completely

Allow stuffed animals to dry all the way through before packing them.

Do not rely only on the surface feeling dry.

Large plush toys and thick teddy bears can remain damp inside long after the exterior has dried.

Remove Excess Pet Hair

Use a lint roller, soft brush or appropriate vacuum attachment to remove pet hair.

Pay particular attention to long-haired plush and fuzzy stuffed animals where hair can become trapped deep in the fabric.

Keep Accessories Together

If a stuffed animal has removable:

• Clothing
• Hats
• Shoes
• Props
• Controllers
• Accessories

keep those pieces with the correct plush toy.

A small labelled bag can help prevent accessories from becoming separated.

Protect Collectible Plush

Do not tightly compress collectible plushies, vintage stuffies or structured soft toys into garbage bags.

Use a box when crushing could damage the shape, tags or decorative features.

Use Clean Bags or Boxes

Pack stuffed animals in clean, completely dry bags, boxes or storage containers.

Do not reuse garbage bags that previously contained waste, wet materials, pet supplies or anything that could contaminate the plush.

For complete packing and pickup staging information, review How to Prepare Your Donations.

Toronto Stuffed Animal Donation Questions

Do stuffed animals need their original tags?

Usually not.

Most donation options care more about the condition of the plush toy than whether the retail tag is still attached.

Original tags can be useful for collectible plushies, but an ordinary teddy bear or stuffie can still be reusable without one.

Can vintage stuffed animals be donated?

Sometimes.

Older teddy bears and vintage plush should be inspected carefully for deteriorating fabric, brittle plastic parts, damaged filling, loose eyes, mould and pest damage.

A vintage item that is too fragile for children’s use may still have collectible value, so it can make sense to keep it separate from ordinary playroom stuffies.

Can handmade or knitted stuffies be donated?

Some programs accept handmade plush toys and fabric dolls.

Check that seams are secure, stuffing is contained and decorative parts are firmly attached.

Because individual organizations may have different safety rules for handmade children’s items, confirm acceptance before making a special trip.

Can oversized stuffed animals be donated?

Sometimes.

Very large teddy bears and oversized plushies take up much more storage and vehicle space than ordinary stuffed animals, so acceptance can depend on the organization.

Measure unusually large stuffies and provide a photo when arranging a pickup or contacting a drop-off location.

Can I donate a stuffie with my child’s name written on the tag?

Usually.

A first name or initials normally do not affect whether a stuffed animal can be reused.

Remove full names, addresses, phone numbers, school information or other identifying details whenever they can be removed without damaging the plush toy.

Donation Pickup Available Throughout Toronto

DonateYourStuff.ca stuffed animal donation pickup is available throughout Toronto for qualifying stuffed animals, stuffies and plush toys, including downtown Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, East York, York and neighbourhoods across the east and west ends of the city.

A–D

Agincourt North, Agincourt South-Malvern West, Alderwood, Annex, Avondale, Banbury-Don Mills, Bathurst Manor, Bay-Cloverhill, Bayview Village, Bayview Woods-Steeles, Bedford Park-Nortown, Beechborough-Greenbrook, Bendale South, Bendale-Glen Andrew, Birchcliffe-Cliffside, Black Creek, Blake-Jones, Briar Hill-Belgravia, Bridle Path-Sunnybrook-York Mills, Broadview North, Brookhaven-Amesbury, Cabbagetown-South St. James Town, Caledonia-Fairbank, Casa Loma, Centennial Scarborough, Church-Wellesley, Clairlea-Birchmount, Clanton Park, Cliffcrest, Corso Italia-Davenport, Danforth, Danforth-East York, Don Valley Village, Dorset Park, Dovercourt Village, Downsview, Downtown Yonge East and Dufferin Grove.

E–H

East End Danforth, East L’Amoreaux, East Willowdale, Edenbridge-Humber Valley, Eglinton East, Elms-Old Rexdale, Englemount-Lawrence, Eringate-Centennial-West Deane, Etobicoke City Centre, Etobicoke West Mall, Fenside-Parkwoods, Flemingdon Park, Forest Hill North, Forest Hill South, Fort York-Liberty Village, Glenfield-Jane Heights, Golfdale-Cedarbrae-Woburn, Greenwood-Coxwell, Guildwood, Harbourfront-CityPlace, Henry Farm, High Park North, High Park-Swansea, Highland Creek, Hillcrest Village, Humber Bay Shores, Humber Heights-Westmount, Humber Summit, Humbermede and Humewood-Cedarvale.

I–L

Ionview, Islington, Junction Area, Junction-Wallace Emerson, Keelesdale-Eglinton West, Kennedy Park, Kensington-Chinatown, Kingsview Village-The Westway, Kingsway South, L’Amoreaux West, Lambton Baby Point, Lansing-Westgate, Lawrence Park North, Lawrence Park South, Leaside-Bennington, Little Portugal and Long Branch.

M–P

Malvern East, Malvern West, Maple Leaf, Markland Wood, Milliken, Mimico-Queensway, Morningside, Morningside Heights, Moss Park, Mount Dennis, Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown, Mount Pleasant East, New Toronto, Newtonbrook East, Newtonbrook West, North Riverdale, North St. James Town, North Toronto, O’Connor-Parkview, Oakdale-Beverley Heights, Oakridge, Oakwood Village, Old East York, Palmerston-Little Italy, Parkwoods-O’Connor Hills, Pelmo Park-Humberlea, Playter Estates-Danforth, Pleasant View and Princess-Rosethorn.

R–T

Regent Park, Rexdale-Kipling, Rockcliffe-Smythe, Roncesvalles, Rosedale-Moore Park, Runnymede-Bloor West Village, Rustic, Scarborough Village, South Eglinton-Davisville, South Parkdale, South Riverdale, St. Lawrence-East Bayfront-The Islands, St. Andrew-Windfields, Steeles, Stonegate-Queensway, Tam O’Shanter-Sullivan, Taylor-Massey, The Beaches, Thistletown-Beaumond Heights, Thorncliffe Park and Trinity-Bellwoods.

U–Y

University, Victoria Village, Wellington Place, West Hill, West Humber-Clairville, West Queen West, West Rouge, Westminster-Branson, Weston, Weston-Pelham Park, Wexford/Maryvale, Willowdale West, Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview, Woburn North, Woodbine Corridor, Woodbine-Lumsden, Wychwood, Yonge-Bay Corridor, Yonge-Doris, Yonge-Eglinton, Yonge-St. Clair, York University Heights and Yorkdale-Glen Park.