This year’s toy recalls are changing how charities do business, and everyone from the Salvation Army to Goodwill is tackling the issue with reworked strategies. The organizations are vigilant about which toys arrive in their offices.
Digital Journal — When the widespread recall of dangerous lead-infested toys rippled across the world, short-term panic sparked immediate action. Lost in the chaos was the effect the recall would have come holiday time, when many groups across the U.S. and Canada ask for toy donations for needy children.
Charities are facing a difficult time adjusting to the new climate of product recalls. But these groups aren’t throwing their hands in the air and accepting whatever toys come their way, either. The more strategic charities are alerting staff to recalls and creating new ways to get safe toys in the hands of youngsters this Christmas.
The Salvation Army kept staff updated on what toys were off-limits, and they filled storage rooms with rejected items. Extra volunteers were hired to find out which toys were recalled, and when.
According to the Salvation Army in Canada, diligent volunteers have found about 1 per cent of donated gifts on recall lists.
At a Goodwill in Pittsburgh, staff send out weekly emails of Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalls so store managers could know about affected items. The more tech-savvy volunteers can cross-check toys with Web alerts to find whether a toy company is reputable or unknown.
U.S. charities are constantly checking the CPSC website for toy recall updates. Currently, there are 250,000 people signed up for email notifications. In Canada, updates are issued from Heath Canada.
In the last two weeks, almost one dozen products have been added to the recall list. The list in Canada now boasts more than 80 products recalled for reasons such as choking hazards and high lead content.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Gerald Storch, Chairman and CEO of Toys “R” Us, recently discussed the recall and whether the lead concern in toys was indeed a serious problem. Today’s toy standards contain one-tenth the amount of lead found in house paint sold in the mid-1970s.
On the topic of lead, Storch said: “As we sit here today, the No. 1 risk of lead exposure for children comes from house paint, primarily in substandard housing but it can affect any older home where renovation work has been done and the lead is accessible. I heard some people argue that the lead on the toys is so small that statistically it presents a very small risk to your child. That’s probably true. Having said that, it is simply inexcusable for products not to meet the safety standards that have been established for them.”
Charities are asking for your help: If you are donating a toy to charity this year, make sure you check recall lists. Also, don’t wrap your donation, as it makes identifying problematic toys more difficult.
Charities are reporting problems with gifts that were donated throughout the year that have been wrapped and stored to ship. With more recalls happening every week, charities are finding themselves having to make a list and check it twice, for lead.
