Toy & Gift Donations

Donate Toys

Donating toys to Lurie Children’s is a wonderful way to support our young patients and brighten their hospital experience. To ensure the health and safety of our patients and families, all toy donations must follow the guidelines set by our Infection Prevention and Control team.

Toy Donation Guidelines 

For the safety of our patients and families, follow the guidelines set by our Infection Prevention and Control team when preparing your donation:

• Items must be new, unused and unopened. Items that are not new will be redirected elsewhere.
• Stuffed animals must be new, individually wrapped in Ziploc bags. 
• Package each item in a bin or box that can be closed. Do not gift wrap.
• We cannot accept food for patients, items of a violent or religious nature, or items that are sharp or made of latex.

Toy Suggestions 

At Lurie Children’s, we care for infants through young adults and appreciate donations that reach patients of all ages. Receiving age-appropriate toys allows us to create a better and brighter healing environment. Lists are curated by our staff based on patient and family needs. Below are some items our patients love:

Schedule Your Donation

All donations must be scheduled through our donations coordinator. We are unable to accept unscheduled drop-offs. For general donations, email donations@luriechildrens.org and for Hematology/Oncology donations, email hemoncdonations@luriechildrens.org.

Handmade Gift Donations

In addition to monetary donations and toy gifts, you can bring joy and encouragement by creating handmade items tailored to our young patients. Thoughtfully crafted gifts—such as activity kits, fleece blankets, knitted items, friendship bracelets, greeting cards, and bookmarks—offer a personal touch that makes a lasting impact. Your time and creativity help provide warmth, connection, and moments of joy for children receiving care at our hospital and outpatient centers.

Gift Donation Types

• Activity Kits: Help patients feel more comfortable at their hospital bedside with activity kits. Contents include crayons, coloring books, games and playing cards.

• Fleece Blankets: Bring comfort to patients who may not feel well enough to play or participate in group activities but love snuggling under a soft, plush blanket.

• Friendship Bracelets: Patients love picking out their favorite colorful bracelets from our play center. Bracelets are a great option if you're unsure what to make!

• Cards and Bookmarks: Brighten a patient’s day with a hand-crafted card or bookmark. It’s best to keep messages simple and light.

  • Try writing a prompt with a space for patients to engage! (i.e. 'Decorate this snowman; What does winter look like to you?')

  • When writing to patients, please avoid phrases that assume prognosis, such as "get well" or "feel better soon."
• Knit Octopus: Consider making a knit octopus for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients.

Donation Guidelines

For the safety of our patients and families, follow the guidelines set by our Infection Prevention and Control team when preparing your donation:

• Wash your hands and wear gloves and masks.
• The preparation and assembly space used must be sanitized, dry, and free of food, pet dander, and smoke.
• Please do not make anything if you are feeling sick.
• Items and raw materials (i.e. yarn, fabric.) must be new, unused and unopened.
• Blankets must be 40x75. Wash and machine-dry, roll, and tie the ribbon or string before packing it in a large Ziploc bag.
• Inspect items and remove sewing pins/tools.
• Package each item in a bin or box that can be closed. Activity kits may be placed in canvas or Ziploc bags.
• Do not gift wrap.

We do not accept:

• Food, items with violent or religious themes, stickers, scissors, sharpeners, or other sharp items, or items made of latex.
• In line with the Safe Sleep Initiative, the NICU no longer accepts baby blankets and is not currently in need of knit caps.

Schedule Your Donation

All donations must be scheduled through our donations coordinator. We are unable to accept unscheduled drop-offs. For general donations email donations@luriechildrens.org and for Hematology/Oncology donations email hemoncdonations@luriechildrens.org. 

Donate Gift Cards

Gift cards in small denominations ($5 - $30) makes an incredible impact for our patients and families staying with us at Lurie Children’s. We use gift card donations to purchase adaptive toys that increase patient access to play and communication, supplies for special events and milestones (birthday and graduation celebrations), specific toys that are unique to a certain patient’s needs, and gifts tailored to our adolescent population.

Gift cards from the below organizations offer a broad range of choices:
Please ensure the gift card value is stated on the card.

• Amazon
• Walgreens
• Target
• Apple

Please mail your gift card donation to the following address:

Donations, Box 31
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
225 E. Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-2605

Amazon Wish Lists

We are also accepting donations through our Amazon Wish Lists. These lists are curated by our staff based on the current needs of patients and families. Purchased items are shipped directly to us.  

• General Amazon Wish List
• Hematology/Oncology Amazon Wish List

Virtual Toy Drives & Fundraisers

Fundraisers help ensure that our Department of Family Services can purchase toys and games to meet the needs and interests of all of our patients. When you start a virtual toy drive fundraiser, your friends and family can make a monetary donation to your online fundraising page instead of donating a physical toy. For more information about fundraising, visit our Community Fundraising page or contact the team at fundraise@luriechildrens.org.  

Other Ways You Can Help

The Emergency Fund

The Emergency Fund provides assistance to families experiencing extreme financial hardship due to their child's illness. It helps with clothing, utilities, transportation costs and other essentials. Funds are carefully allocated after a full evaluation of the family's needs on a case by- case basis.

To support the Emergency Fund, give online now and note that your gift is for the Emergency Fund, or mail your contribution to: 

Social Work Manager/Emergency Fund
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
225 E. Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-2605

Partners with Parents

A child's illness can devastate a family's finances. Gift cards to local stores can help struggling parents provide holiday celebrations for their families. Following a full evaluation of a family’s needs, donated gift cards can be distributed by hospital staff. To support Partners with Parents, give online now and note that your gift is for Partners with Parents, or send gift cards (valued $10-50) for an easily accessible toy, clothing and food stores to: