If you've ever scanned the Good Buy Gear website for second-hand kid gear you may have noticed some items have a "shop to give" tag on them. All of these goods are donated by sellers like you who wish to have the proceeds go to help Children's Hospital, be that in Colorado or Dallas where the new location of Good Buy Gear just launched in October.
"I've had a few experiences with Children's and each time I am reminded of how fortunate we are to live near a world renowned facility that doesn't just provide exceptional pediatric services but top-notch, family-centered care," says Jessica Crothers, co-founder of Good Buy Gear.
When Good Buy Gear started in 2016 the idea wasn't just to clean out garages and resell quality second-hand kid gear at a fraction of the cost, the company wanted to give back too. That's where Children's Hospital came in, and in 2018 Crothers and co-founder Kristin Langenfeld added a way sellers and buyers could give money to the organization. So far Good Buy Gear has donated over $3,000, all from used baby staples, toys and children's furniture.
"We decided to work with Children's Hospital because it is such an amazing organization providing critical support to families in need," adds Langenfeld. "What could be more meaningful than helping sick children and families."
The money donated goes to help advance patient care, education and research. Really, it's for anything that can help this organization give the best attention to those kids who need it, and any Good Buy Gear customer and/or seller can be part of this donation side. So how does it work? To start with, when you decide to empty out that toy box or playroom of unwanted goods, you can choose to donate the money from your sale to Children's Hospital (or to some of the other charities Good Buy Gear works with such as Hope House or Weecycle).
"We don’t donate items to Children’s Hospital but donate a percentage of the proceeds from items in that collection," says head Wingmom Amanda Brown, who oversees the listings you find on the Good Buy Gear website. "People can also choose to donate the proceeds from their items to Children’s Hospital or our other partners, they get the choice, or shop the 'Shop to Give' collection to see what items will benefit them."
To look for items that help out Children's Hospital you will find that aforementioned "shop to give" under the "ways to give" tab. In this section you'll discover anything from a cozy glider to Boppy nursing pillows to all sorts of toys. The inventory changes all the time so we encourage you to check it out any time you visit the site.
Another way Good Buy Gear donates to Children's Hospital is through items that have been listed for over 120 days. Once a seller has their gear in inventory it's on a timeline, which helps us keep the warehouse fresh with new stuff for your perusal. If your bundle of parenting books or umbrella stroller doesn't sell, it automatically goes to the Children's Hospital page (you can always request to pick your item up before the 120-day expiration date if you prefer) where the price is lowered and all proceeds will funnel into that specific fund.
So whether you want to shop to give or give when people shop, it's a win-win for everyone involved. Adds Langenfeld, "Giving back and making the world a better place is why we are doing what we do." And anyone can be part of it.
