BAGS OF BLESSINGS
Help make this holiday as special for a child in the Dominican Republic
as it will be for you and your family! We are gathering items to
put into gift bags to send to children who cannot otherwise afford many
of the things that we take for granted. Please read this list
carefully and see if there is anything that you would like to
contribute. All donations are welcome, and please feel free to
ask if you have any questions. If you do not have the time to
gather items, any monetary donations are tax-deductible, and will go
directly to the Bags of Blessings effort.
If the package is meant for a single child, please write the appropriate age range (2-4, 5-9, 10-14)
on the outside. We ask that all packages be left open so that we
can double-check for anything that may not survive shipping. If
your donation is a bulk quantity of a single item, please let us know
ahead of time so that we can allocate space and other resources
accordingly. Remember that solar-powered or crank items are
usually preferred to battery-driven ones, because batteries are often
very expensive in developing countries.
TOYS
Small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed
animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch®,
toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, berets for girls' hair, small puzzles, action figures, Disney items, small musical instruments, e.g. tamborines, harmonicas, etc.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Pens,
pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets,
writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books,
etc.
HYGIENE ITEMS
Toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, underwear, small bottles of shampoo and conditioner, etc.
OTHER
Hard
candy and lollipops (please double bag all candy; do not include anything that will melt easily, like chocolate), mints, gum,
T-shirts, socks, ball caps; sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry,
watches, flashlights (with extra batteries).
A PERSONAL NOTE
In
a separate envelope, you may enclose a note to the child and a photo of
yourself or your family. (If you include your name and address, the
child may write back.)
Do Not Include:
Used
or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or
military figures; chocolate or food; liquids or lotions; medications or
vitamins; breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers;
aerosol cans.