Please note that donations made to Lutheran Children's Hospital are NOT tax deductible. LCH cannot accept cash or cash substitute donations. Questions? Call (260) 435-7344.
Acceptable Donations:
- Stuffed animals must be brand new with the tags still attached.
- Toys passed out directly to the children must be new.
- Gently used all-plastic toys may be donated to the playroom.
- Craft and art materials.
- New or gently used books.
- New or gently used highchairs, bouncy seats, swings, strollers, wagons, and mobiles that are all vinyl, plastic or another cleanable material (no cloth).
Wish List:
- Polaroid film and disposable cameras
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Hair brushes
- All-plastic musical mobiles
- Wind-up radios and musical toys
- Light-up toys
- "I Spy" books
- Craft kits, including latch hook, stitching, beads, leather and fabric painting
- Model kits , both snap and glue; paint and glue also needed
- Walkman-type radios, cassette or C.D. players with headsets
- Playing cards (especially UNO)
- Gift certificates for movies, music and book stores
- Stickers
- Fancy edging scissors
- Regular scissors
- Acrylic paint
- Buttons
- Feathers
- Pipe cleaners
- Construction paper
- Crepe paper
- Glitter
- Tacky glue
- Glue sticks
- Elmer's 3D paint pens
- Finger paint paper
- Sculpy or Fimo
- Scratch Art Scratch Magic sheets
- Wiggle eyes
- Beads
- Shaving cream
- Pom Poms
- Paint brushes
- Crayola Model Magic
- Gel pens
- Glitter glue pens
- Washable markers
- Colored pencils
- Crayons
- Mr. Potato Heads
- Puzzles- all sizes
- Shape sorters- musical and talking
- Magna Doodle boards
- Play cash register, microwave and cooking toys
- Matchbox cars
- Barbie or other plastic people for dollhouse
- Musical and light-up baby/toddler toys
- Tool bench and supplies
- Train Pieces for train set (call ahead for details before purchasing)
- Basketball
- Fisher Price animals and people (call ahead for details before purchasing)
- Alphabet boards or Leap Frog toys
- Squeeze balls
- Bubbles
- Game Boy or other handheld electronic games
- Board games for all ages and developmental levels
- Mind-teaser games
- Play telephones and cell phones
- Guitars and other musical instruments
- Small chalk board/dry erase board or art easel
- Activity sets
- Stuffed animals (brand new with tags)
How to Get the Items to the Hospital:
You can choose whether you would like to drop off items for us to distribute as the need arises, or you can deliver the items directly to the children in their rooms. If you choose to drop the items off, you can take them to the main information desk inside the front lobby of Lutheran Hospital. Please tell the attendant the items are for pediatics. Or, you can bring the items to the pediatric nurses' station, which is located on the third floor of the hospital.
If you would like to distribute the items yourself, either as a group or individual, please call (260) 435-7344 or (260) 435-6207 to schedule a time for the delivery. You MUST set up an appointment to distribute items yourself. The best times for delivery are between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
- An LCH staff member or volunteer will guide you at all times.
- Visitors showing signs of illness, including fever, diarrhea, vomiting or a rash will not be allowed on the floor.
- Visitors should not have been recently exposed to any type of illness.
- No pictures may be taken without the patient's prior written consent. Photo opportunities should be discussed with the Child Life Specialist when scheduling the performance.
- Visitors may not ask patients questions about their illness or the reason for their hospital stay.
- Visitors must wash their hands upon arrival and at departure.
- Groups of children and teenagers must have an adult present at all times.
- Visitors may not enter isolation rooms at any time.
- Gifts must be new and appropriate for all ages. Please check with the Child Life Specialist before bringing gifts for the children.
- Avoid bringing snacks or treats of any kind since most of the patients are on restricted diets.
- Be aware that masks and certain costumes scare young children. Let the child's reaction be your guide.
- Know that children may not show appreciate to you directly, even though they may talk about the performance for days afterwards.
- Please remember census in the children's hospital changes regularly. The number of patients, their ages and diagnoses changes from day to day. Some days, there may be several children who would appreciate your visit, while on other days, there may be only one or two.
