Support patients and families
You can support our patients through in-kind gifts of toys, supplies, activities or financial contributions. You can allow our staff to respond to specific needs by donating to the Foundation and allowing us to acquire the most helpful and needed items.
Ways to help directly
Financial contribution
By making a financial contribution or fundraising, you’ll help Children’s Minnesota staff purchase toys, books, crafts and games tailored to our patients’ needs based on age, diagnosis and hospital appropriateness.
Wish list
Our wish lists are filled with items of greatest need to help make for a more comfortable and enjoyable stay for our patients and families. To purchase and deliver items directly to the hospital see our Amazon wish lists:
*When purchasing, make sure to select items (e.g., books) as new.
To purchase and drop off items to the hospital on your own: View wish list.
Purchasing items to donate
Children’s Minnesota is only able to accept new, unopened, unused items with tags because of allergen and immunity concerns. Staff members will distribute items as needed to patients and families throughout our hospitals and clinics. Groups are not able to hand out items to patients and families due to HIPAA privacy regulations and our infection prevention policies. All donated food items will be put into our food pantries or family lounges.
Items cannot include stickers, tags, branded bags or information that identifies past or present patients including first and last name, birth date/death date, photo or story.
Get answers to other frequently asked questions here.
Dropping off items
Children’s Minnesota – Minneapolis
2525 Chicago Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55404
612-813-6000
Children’s Minnesota – St. Paul
345 N Smith Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55102
651-220-6000
Donations can be dropped off at the Welcome Centers at the locations above on the first or second floors, during these times:
- Monday–Friday: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday–Sunday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Kit building
As families arrive at Children’s Minnesota, the length of their stay can be uncertain. Your thoughtful kits can enhance the comfort of our patients and their families during these challenging times.
- All kit items are generously provided by your group and assembled off-site.
- We recommend packaging your kits in clear bags, such as Ziploc-style bags.
- Click here for kit options and current needs.
Host a drive
Get a group together to collect much-needed items for Children’s Minnesota. Set up a drop-off station at your business or home to accept new, unused items for our patients and families.
Drive ideas
- Art Kits and Supplies
- Books
- Clothing (pants, shirts, undergarments – please avoid seasonally themed items)
- All clothes must be brand new
- Needed clothing items
- Gift Cards ($5-20 increments)
- Target
- Amazon
- Five Below
- Starbucks
- Snacks
- Toys
Tie blankets
Children’s Minnesota accepts and distributes tie blankets. Fleece blankets are preferred as they are non-allergenic. Fun colors and patterns are always loved by our patients. We encourage groups to make blankets that are 1.5 yard x 1.5 yard or 2.5 yards x 1.5 yards.
No-sew throw blanket kits: Your Fleece Kits
Reading buddies
Get a group together to make reading buddies for our patients. Literacy resources, such as Reading Buddies, promote reading and are a much appreciated item for patients while they are in the hospital. These “buddies” allow kids to read aloud to someone to practice this critical skill.
Reading buddy materials
Here are the materials you will need:
- No sew animal/plush reading buddy (The Zoo Factory)
- Polyfull stuffing material
- Level Reader Books – needed and approved books
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of donations makes the largest impact?
Your financial contributions to Children’s Minnesota make the greatest and most immediate impact on our patients and families. From providing excellent care and top-notch facilities, to continuing staff education and providing charity care, your dollars support the very programs and projects that make us Children’s Minnesota. Make your gift online today.
I’d like to mail a check, where do I send it?
Children’s Minnesota Foundation
CBC-3-FOUN
5901 Lincoln Drive
Edina, MN 55436
Please note any specific fund designation or if you’re making the donation in honor of a loved one in the memo
What's the most needed items right now in the hospital?
Due to allergen and immunity concerns, all items must be new, unopened and unused item:
- Art Supplies: Crayons, markers, colored pencils, model magic.
- Toys/Activities: Squishmallows (small & medium), stress balls/fidgets, infant rattles (Oball) & teethers, Hot Wheels
- Tie Blankets: Fleece blankets are preferred as they are non-allergenic. The suggested sizes are 1.5 yards x 1.5 yards or 2.5 yards x 1.5 yards.
What items don't you accept?
Children’s Minnesota is unable to accept the following items
Out of concern for the safety, immunity and allergies of many of our patients, Children’s Minnesota is only able to accept new items with the tags still attached. We kindly request that donors avoid items with small pieces or other potential choking hazards including small or detachable parts.
We are unable to accept the following donations:
Toys
- Used/previously played with items, toys, books, games or stuffed animals
- Latex toys, games and balloons
- Private collections of items, toys, books, games or stuffed animals that have never been played with but have been stored away
- Full-sized sports equipment (soccer, basketballs, nets, etc.), bikes, skateboards, scooters
- Toys that resemble weapons (swords, Nerf guns, water guns, violent action figures, etc.)
Other Items
- 3D printed items
- Artwork
- Baby formula
- Baptismal or burial gowns
- Cards, messages or letters for patients and families
- Crib bumpers
- Crocheted or knitted items (i.e. hats/caps, clothing, blankets, afghans)
- Donated hair for wigs
- Flowers from weddings, funerals, or other outside events
- Handmade or sewn clothing
- Homemade food or treats (cookies, cupcakes, bars, etc.)
- Nail polish
- Quilts
- Seasonal or holiday themed items and clothing
- Used medical equipment
- Yoga, Zumba or other exercise classes
Can I mail in my donation?
Please complete the online form and mail in the donation.
Children’s Minnesota Child and Family Services
Attn: CFS Resource Coordinator
MDB:17-306
720 E 26th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55404
My class, group or family would like to make cards for patients and families. Do you accept those?
I am interested in donating meals to Children’s Minnesota staff and/or patient families, how do I do that?
Thank you for your interest in donating! Meal donations provide essential nourishment and a much-appreciated gesture of support for our hardworking staff, who are tirelessly caring for our patients. For patient families, these meals can significantly alleviate financial and logistical burdens, allowing them to focus on their child’s well-being without worrying about meal preparation.
Due to strict infection control and patient safety guidelines, the meals need to be commercially prepared, individually packaged meals or snacks from licensed restaurants or catering services.
To let us know you are interested in donating, complete the Meal
Donation Interest Form
Can my Girl Scout troop donate cookies to the hospital?
We’d be happy to receive them; we distribute them in our family and staff lounges. We also use the Thin Mint cookies with our Cancer and Blood Disorders patients. Some of our patients lose their sense of taste during treatments and we hear Thin Mints are one of the few things they are able to taste.
To donate, please let us know you are coming by scheduling your drop off.
Do you have volunteer opportunities at the hospital?
Due to privacy and infection concerns, we do not offer one-time volunteer opportunities.
To learn about longer term volunteer opportunities visit our volunteer section: Clinic and hospital volunteers
Do you accept breast milk?
Children’s Minnesota receives all their donor human milk from the Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies. Please reach out to them directly to be screened for milk donation. Once screening is complete there is a milk depot where you can drop off your milk at both the Mother Baby Center in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
I am an author of a children’s book; can I donate my books to patients?
The team at Children’s Minnesota has a due diligence process for the books we distribute to patients. Please mail a book to the following address along with your contact information so we can contact you if we can accept more books.
Children’s Minnesota – Child and Family Services
c/o Sharon Nelson
720 East 26th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Can Children’s Minnesota staff accept our in-kind donation and take photos with our group?
Children’s Minnesota Welcome Desk staff are ready to assist you in accepting your generous donation. Our (clinical) staff’s priority is to care for our patients; we cannot commit any other staff presence to accept donations or be in photos.
Summer Joy Drop
As summer gets into full swing, there’s an opportunity to make an impact on the lives of our patients. We’re organizing our very first Summer Joy Drop in-kind donation drive, and we’d love for you to participate.
This is a chance to spread joy and extra sunshine to our young patients and their families during a time when they might be missing out on typical summer fun. Based on the hospital’s current needs, here are some of the most requested items that can bring comfort and engagement:
- Art Supplies: Crayons, markers, modeling clay, Play-Doh
- Books: Board books for our youngest patients
- Comfortable Clothes: Most needed size adult medium, but all sizes are welcome
- Toys/Activities: Lego sets (under $30, 2 in 1 sets preferred), Squishmallows
Drop off your items at the Summer Joy Drop:
Dates:
- August 14, 3-6 p.m.
- August 15, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Schedule your drop off now
Locations:
- Children’s Minnesota Minneapolis Specialty Clinic
2530 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404 - Children’s Minnesota St. Paul Hospital
345 Smith Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55102
Every contribution, big or small, will directly benefit Children’s Minnesota patients and families. Your generosity can bring joy, provide comfort, and help make their summer a little brighter.
Have additional questions?
For information about supporting the mission of Children’s Minnesota by making a donation, please email [email protected] or call 952-992-5500.
Disclaimer: In-kind donations are directed to the Child and Family Services Program for equitable distribution to patients and families throughout Children’s Minnesota. If an in-kind gift is requested to be designated to a specific area of the hospital, please provide this detail in the space provided on the In-kind Donation Form. The Child Life Program will make its best effort to comply with the requested designation. Depending on many factors including, but not limited to, unit needs and the quality of the in-kind gift, Children’s Minnesota may not be able to meet the designation request for the in-kind donation and may, at its sole discretion, designate the in-kind donation to other areas of the hospital or provide the in-kind donation to other non-profit organization(s).
IP Disclaimer: The entire right, title, and interest throughout the world to all intellectual property, copyright, works, trademarks, and/or inventions and other materials or content, if any, that are conceived of, authored, created, prepared, procured, or generated, whether or not reduced to practice, for Children’s as the work product hereunder, either solely or jointly with others in connection with or as related to the performance hereunder are the sole and exclusive property of Children’s Minnesota and will be considered “works made for hire” under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, as amended, and shall be and hereby are vested and assigned to Children’s Minnesota and any and all documents prepared by Children’s Minnesota will be executed and agreement to do all other lawful acts as may be required by Children’s Minnesota to establish, document, and protect its rights as contemplated hereunder.
