Donate Goods
Project Cheer is Here! Spread joy at Benioff Children's Hospitals this holiday season with the Project Cheer Toy Drive! There are three ways to participate:
- Crowdfunding raises money so our staff can buy exactly what patients want and the hospital needs. Make a donation or create your own fundraising page to share with your community.
- Add extra goodies to your gift list or host a toy drive! Put presents in the hands of patients and inspire others to spread joy. See important toy guidelines and delivery details below.
- Shop the Amazon wish lists to send carefully selected items directly to the hospital.
We are hosting a special Project Cheer drop off day on December 7, 1-3 PM.
Drop off toys on either side of the Bay:
| Oakland Main Hospital | San Francisco Children's Hospital |
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747 52nd St, Oakland, CA 94609 The drop-off zone is located in front of the emergency department parking lot. |
1975 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94158 The drop-off zone is in the circular driveway in front of the Children's entrance off 4th Street. |
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Follow signs for the Children's Emergency Department. |
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Toy Donations
Play helps kids heal and cope with being in the hospital. We welcome donations of new toys at the holidays and all year round. Please read the guidelines below carefully. Toy donation guidelines help us maintain patient safety and well-being. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
READ OUR TOY GUIDELINES
We cannot accept:
- Oversized toys such as bikes, giant teddy bears, ride-on vehicles, large dollhouses, etc.
- Used items
- Gift wrapped items (even for the holidays)
- Glass, ceramics, or other breakables
- Flowers or live plants
- Any items that promote violent and aggressive behavior, including video games
- Items with religious themes
- VHS tapes and DVDs
- Toy collections or collectibles, even if they have been well-preserved
- Food items, including baking sets
Some of our all-time favorite items:
- Coloring books for all ages and interests
- Crayons, markers, and colored pencils
- Play-Doh
- Legos
- Medical play kits
- Dolls (storybook characters, action figures)
- Cars/trucks/vehicles
- Kits for art/education
- Self-care and cosmetic kits (age-appropriate, no heavily scented products)
- Tabletop games and cards of all kinds
- Bay Area sports team swag
- Earbuds
- Video games for Nintendo Switch only
- Books for all ages and interests
- Infants (0-2 years): rattles and mirrors
- Toddlers (3-5 years): musical/light up/pop up toys
- Teens (12-18 years): tabletop games and advanced craft kits
Please note, you will not be able to deliver your gifts to patients directly nor can we provide photos of toys in use. Unfortunately we are unable to pick up any donations.
If items don’t fall within our guidelines or are unsafe/inappropriate for our patients, we reserve the right to redirect them.
Toy Deliveries
Additional hospital lobby drop off hours are listed below:
| Oakland Main Hospital | San Francisco Children's Hospital |
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Lobby Drop Off Hours: Tues-Fri, 1 - 4 PM 747 52nd St, Oakland, CA 94609 For large donations (more than ~15 grocery bags), please email [email protected]. |
Lobby Drop Off Hours: Mon-Fri, 10 AM - 4 PM 1975 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94158 For large donations (more than ~15 grocery bags), please email [email protected]. |
Wish Lists
Our wish lists include what we need the most for patient care and comfort, hand-selected by staff based on our top needs at this time.
Gift Cards
Gift cards allow our staff to buy the items that patients need and even let families enjoy shopping for themselves! Our top choices are Amazon, Target, and Walmart in increments of $10-25, and gas or grocery gift cards can also be a terrific source of support.
Care Kits
Making kits to provide comfort and entertainment for patients and families is a rewarding project! Get a group together to multiply your impact and have fun for a good cause.
Other Donations
There are many ways to help the hospital! Some common inquiries are covered below and you can reach out to [email protected] with any questions that are not covered here.
Information on Miscellaneous Items
Breast milk: We are unable to accept donated breast milk. Please consider Mother's Milk.
Clothing donations: We have a limited need but can sometimes accept donations of brand-new clothes for our Social Services department. Email [email protected] for more information.
Entertainment or educational experiences: We are currently hosting virtual visits for the safety of our patients. Reach out to Child Life Special Events Coordinator Deidre Almanzan at [email protected] for more information.
Food donations: We accept individually packaged, shelf stable snacks for parents to stock our family resource centers. Email [email protected] for more information.
Hair: We are unable to accept donated hair. Please consider Locks of Love.
Handmade items: We are unable to accept handmade caps and clothing. We do have a limited need for handmade blankets so please email [email protected] for more info.
Medical equipment and supplies: We cannot accept used items under any circumstances, but can sometimes take brand-new items. Email [email protected] for more information.
Vehicle donations: Donate your car, truck, boat or motorcycle to benefit our hospital! Contact our local partner, Car Donation Services at 925-229-5444 or visit this site for more information.
Service Projects
We are happy to work with corporate partners and community groups such as scouts, school programs, churches, etc. to facilitate projects that are based on the needs outlined on this page. Email [email protected] with your proposal.
How Do I Deliver My Donation?
Purchase items from our Amazon wish lists and Amazon will ship the items directly to our hospitals.
Email [email protected] for details on delivery of gift cards and care kits.
Staff Appreciation
If you would like to donate a large number of meals, products, or services for our hard-working hospital teams, please reach out to Assistant Director of Corporate Partnerships, Abdur Shemsu at [email protected].
Corporate Partnerships
If your company would like to support our hospital with donated goods or learn about other opportunities, please email Director of Corporate Partnerships Anthony Candito at [email protected].