It's wonderful to live in a community like Northampton, which values the idea of repurposing. Between local clothing swaps, consignment stores, the re-center and local recycling events - we Northamptonites (and other local communities) like to do our part in the effort to reduce/reuse/recycle. This time of year where we celebrate our connections to one another, it's so great to be able to pass things along to others who might benefit from them. To that end - the Seventh Annual Toy Exchange is almost upon us! It will be held on December 9th at Smith Vocational High School, 80 Locust Street, Northampton. Toy donations will be collected in the school cafeteria from 4:00 PM-8:00 PM on Friday, December 8, and will be available to the public free of charge at 10:00 AM Saturday morning.
Do you have some toys to donate or exchange?
Northampton's Annual Holiday Toy Exchange is scheduled for Friday December 8 and Saturday December 9. Eight years ago a small event started at Nonotuck School where friends exchanged toys at holiday time, and has now grown into a city-wide event where hundreds of people contribute toys and other gifts. Hundreds of other people come to the Smith Vocational High School cafeteria to take home gifts for their children.
Here's the info if you'd like to donate something:
Donated items must be clean, in working order and complete (no missing pieces). The following items are sought: musical instruments; action
figures/dolls; books, games & puzzles; model kits & building toys; arts/craft kits & creative learning toys; cars & trucks; outdoor toys &
structures; stuffed animals; electronic toys; video games & DVDs; and baby and preschool toys.
Collected toys are offered to toy donors and residents referred by community agencies early on Saturday morning and to the general public from 10:00 AM-11:00 AM. Participants are asked to leave children safely at home in the care of others on Saturday.
The Toy Exchange is coordinated by the Northampton Department of Public Works and the Reuse Committee and is co-sponsored by the Northampton Public Schools/CFCE via grants from the MA Department of Early Education.