LEGO Launches Initiative to Help Donate Your Old Bricks to Charity

LEGOs have been entertaining generations of young and old alike since 1932. Typically, sets or remaining pieces often live on for generations thanks to the ease of play such a simple but extraordinary toy offers. But all too often, the iconic building bricks end up shoved in the back of a closet, sitting idle for years and years. Well here’s a bit of good news for parents with leftover legos hanging around their crawl space or attic with no one left to enjoy them.
Thanks to a new initiative introduced by the LEGO Company, people everywhere will now be able to donate those unused blocks to some incredible causes in neighborhoods both here in the United States and abroad.
LEGO Replay, a new pilot program announced earlier this month, will accept previously played with bricks and donate them to children’s organizations in coordination with charities already on the ground including Give Back Box, a charity that distributes used clothing and goods to those in need. Teach for America will be the first recipient in addition to Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, but the company says that’s just the beginning. They plan on evaluating the pilot in early 2020 with hopes to roll it out nationally thereafter.
“Learning through play can have a tremendous impact on a child’s cognitive development. Through play, children develop fine motor skills, think creatively, and can learn how to problem solve through teamwork,” Teach For America’s chief operating and program officer Susan Asiyanbi shared. “But not everyone has access to such resources. LEGO Replay, and the instructional resources they provide educators, will help give more students access to this opportunity.”
LEGO has agreed to pay the postage for donated bricks, and Give Back Box will sort, clean and distribute the blocks.
The move is just the latest from LEGO to ensure more children get their hands on the simple, yet powerful educational engineering toys. Their recent Braille bricks have helped those with visual impairments to play in ways never before possible, and their plant based plastics show LEGO is certainly thinking about the future. The company says many people keep legos in play for decades, but are aware that recycling and sustainability are key issues they need to address. “The vast majority hand them down to their children or grandchildren. But others have asked us for a safe way to dispose of or to donate their bricks. With Replay, they have an easy option that’s both sustainable and socially impactful.”
As always, we’re fans of anything that makes play and life in general more accessible and inclusive for kids everywhere. You can find more details about LEGO replay on the official campaign website.