Blaine & Birch Bay’s
Holiday Gift Assistance Program
The Community Toy Store is a holiday gift assistance program that seeks to provide a hand up instead of a handout for families facing difficult financial circumstances. This model fully involves the parents, giving them the joy and dignity of personally providing gifts for their own children, as well as being contributors to their community. The program has been operating successfully in Bellingham for over ten years. The Blaine and Birch Bay program began in 2018. It is sponsored by The Community Assistance Program with support from many churches, businesses, organizations, and individuals in our community.
How Does the Community Toy Store Work?
Brand new, unwrapped toys are donated by community members and prices are marked down about 75%. Gift cards to a variety of stores will be available for children between the ages of 11 and 18. Gifts are arranged in a store-like setting where parents can shop on a cash-only basis, choosing several gifts per child. Voucher assistance is available for those families that need additional help. Proceeds from toy sales will be distributed to non-profits that serve families in our own community.
2023 Donation Information
Having a great selection of high quality toys that will delight a child is key to being able to successfully serve and bless the families and children in our community that need this assistance. Your help is needed to make this happen!
Online Shopping
AMAZON: The Toy Store has an Amazon gift registry. You can choose one or more gifts and have them sent directly to us for easy, contact-free shopping. Just be sure you choose the Community Toy Store’s Gift Registry Address for shipping. And please make sure you are ordering brand new items! Used items are not accepted.
Shop Amazon Gift Registry Here
LAUNCHING SUCCESS LEARNING STORE: Here is a chance to support an amazing local Whatcom County business! We have a wish list available through the Launching Success Learning Store in Bellingham. You choose and order toys online, and WE pick them up at the store for NO shipping costs. They are also offering a 10% discount on items you purchase for the Toy Store.
Instructions:
- Follow the link below to access our wish list.
- Add whatever items you would like to purchase to your cart.
- When ready to check out, go to your cart and enter “For Blaine Toy Store” in the “Order special instructions” box.
- Go to checkout. For Delivery method, choose “Pick up”.
- Enter discount code “Blaine2023” for 10% off your order.
- Fill out your payment information and hit the Pay Now button. That’s it! You have just supported both a local business and families in the Blaine/Birch Bay community!
Shop Launching Success Wish List Here
In-Store Shopping
For those that prefer to shop in-person, below are some ideas of what we are looking for. You can receive a 10% discount on items purchased for the Community Toy Store at Launching Success Learning Store, now in their new location at 1707 N. State Street, Bellingham. Just ask for the discount at check-out. Other suggestions of great places to shop for the kinds of toys we are looking for: Yeager’s and Barnes & Noble.
- TOYS FOR CHILDREN AGES 2 – 12 BRAND NEW, HIGH-QUALITY TOYS, $20 – $50 range
Suggested items: Lego’s, K’nex, blocks, other building toys, craft and science kits, musical toys/instruments, child-sized sleeping bags and play tents, scooters, sports equipment, children’s book sets.
If possible, please attach a note listing the REGULAR RETAIL prices for toys.
Do NOT gift wrap toys!
- GIFT CARDS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS:
$25 gift cards to the following stores:
– Barnes and Noble
– Best Buy
– Michaels
– Happy Teen (combo gift card available at most gift card kiosks)
– Happy Treats (another combo gift card)
– Hobby Lobby
– TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Home Goods/Sierra combo card
Please no OLD NAVY or American Eagle gift cards this year. We still have plenty left from last year.
2023 Donation Sites
Collection boxes will be available at the following locations from November 1 – December 1. Please note which locations are accepting gift cards. We do not want gift cards dropped into the toy collection boxes, as they can get lost too easily. Please give gift cards to a staff member at these locations.
- Blaine Library – toys and gift cards
- Blaine Senior Center – toys and gift cards
- Pacific Building Center – toys only
- Blaine Birch Bay Parks and Rec Office @ Bay Horizon Park – toys and gift cards
- Birch Bay Village Rec Center – toys and gift cards
- Semiahmoo Golf Club – toys and gift cards
- Semiahmoo Marina Cafe – toys and gift cards
- Inn at Semiahmoo – toys and gift cards
- Semiahmoo Athletic Club – toys and gift cards
- Loomis Trail Pro Shop – toys and gift cards
- Latitude 49 Mail Room – toys and gift cards
- Blaine Fire Station – toys
The donation drive will run from November 1 – December 1.
Monetary Donations
- Visit www.blainecap.org to donate using your credit or debit card.
- Checks may be made out to the Community Assistance Program with “Community Toy Store” in the memo line. Mail to 508 G Street, Blaine, WA 98230.
Your donations will have a big impact in our community!
Your donation of toys and gift cards will bless not only the children receiving them, but also the parents who are given the gift of dignity and the joy of choosing gifts for their own children, as well as the organizations that receive the proceeds and the families that they work with. Thank you for making this all possible!
Proceeds from the 2023 Community Toy Store will be shared with the following organizations:
- The Bridge Community Hope Center (Birch Bay) Emergency Fund – for families facing crisis needs..
- VC Essentials, an outreach of Valley Church, Blaine Campus – providing personal care products, clothing, and shower and laundry facilities for our unhoused neighbors
- Loads of Love, an outreach of Christ Episcopal Church – covering laundry costs on the first and third Mondays of each month, 5:00 – 7:00 pm, at The Washhouse in Blaine.