Community help needed: Here’s how to spread holiday cheer to hospitalized children and teens
This holiday season, Carilion Mental Health’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Inpatient Unit and Carilion Children’s Hospital are joining forces to host a toy and clothing drive for hospitalized children and teens.Â
One of the largest child and adolescent mental health inpatient units in the region, Carilion Mental Health treats children ages 9 to 17, and their most needed items are listed below. Carilion Children’s Hospital treats children 0 to 18 years of age, but the greatest need is gifts for infants and teenagers.Â
To drop off your gift:
You can drop off gifts with Guest Services or donation boxes at the following locations:
- 2017 S. Jefferson Street: Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Â
- Carilion Mental Health Tanglewood: Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Â
- Carilion Children’s Tanglewood Center: Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Weekends 8 a.m. to noon  Â
Gifts are accepted throughout the year, but in order to ensure they are delivered for Christmas, donations must be delivered by Christmas Eve at noon.Â
Items not accepted include:Â
- Used items
- Latex balloons or latex toys
- Candles, sharp instruments or harmful objects
- Any items with religious sayings, symbols, etc.
- Mature-rated games/movies
Carilion Mental Health Wishlist:
- Clothing: socks, underclothes, sports bras; casual clothing (most wear adult-sized looser fit)
- BallsÂ
- Books
- Board games
- Card games
- Coloring books and adult coloring books
- Coloring supplies (prefer markers and crayons; no colored pencils)
- Kindle e-readers
- Movies/DVDs (nothing more mature than PG13)
- Stress balls and fidget toys
- Stuffed animals
- Video game consoles/video games
Carilion Children’s Wishlist:
- Toys for children ages 0 to 18 years are accepted, but the greatest need is gifts for infants and teenagers.
- You can find their full Amazon wish list for ideas online here and order through Amazon or drop off at Tanglewood.
