Donations
Monetary donations
You can make the biggest impact on our patients and families by making a monetary donation to the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. Donate online or call 1-800-648-6973 and select UI Health Care Caring Fund or Stead Family Children’s Hospital Fund.
In-Kind Donations
For in-kind donations we have some restrictions in place to protect the safety, health and privacy of our patients and their families. Donated items that do not meet these guidelines must be discarded or redirected to another charity.
We are grateful for the generosity and appreciate all the individuals and organizations that bring cheer and comfort to our patients and their families.
At this time, UI Health Care is accepting donations that are mailed or shipped directly from a retailer or business, as well as in-person donations by appointment only.
- All items must be new.
- All items must come from a smoke-free, dust-free, and pet-free environment.
- All fabric items must be made from new materials and in a non-scented, new plastic bag for delivery.
- All pins–safety pins and straight pins–must be removed from all donations.
- Donations should not be gift-wrapped.
- We cannot accept food items past their labeled expiration dates.
- Please do not include personal information on items.
- Items cannot solicit for or endorse an external organization or non-profit.
Have more questions about In-Kind gift donations?
For health and security reasons, we cannot accept:
- Handmade toys
- Handmade cards
- Oversized stuffed animals
- Used items
- Anything latex
- Candy
- Fleece baby hats
- Riding toys
- Violent toys, games, or toy weapons
- Used medical equipment (visit Iowa Compass for these donations)
- Artwork
- Any food that is not prepackaged or past expiration date
Need inspiration? Browse our wishlist items below:
Browse our Amazon wish lists for items that are popular with patients and families. When you order online your gifts will be delivered directly to UI Health Care. Please include donor information for us to acknowledge your gift.
Only new items can be accepted.
Items on this wish list will touch the lives of our pediatric and teen patients seen in the emergency department, and many clinics, and units throughout the hospital. Donated items for adult patients and families are also appreciated in providing comfort and healing, for celebrating special occasions, and to help meet emergent needs.
The Helen Rossi Clothing closet was established in 1997, with the Rossi Lodging Program, to assist critically ill patients and their families. The "Rossi Closet" relies on donations of new items and is visited several times a day by nursing, social workers, and guest services staff to accommodate the emergent needs of adult and teen patients. The clothes are given to patients at discharge whose garments may have been destroyed by traumatic situations.
UI Stead Family Children's Hospital wish list
This wish list was created by the Child Life Program with specific items to bring joy to patients at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Items have been carefully selected for each age group. These items will be given to patients to promote normalcy, socialization, and expression.
Gift cards are also welcome for patients, especially from:
- UI Health Care Food and Nutrition Services
- Volunteer Services
- Bread Garden Market
- Target
- Walmart
- iTunes
- Amazon
- Restaurant chains
- MasterCard or Visa gift cards
- Local grocers
- Local gas stations
Due to privacy regulations and infection control polices, a UI Health Care guest services staff member will accept donations on behalf of the organization. This includes items, gift cards, etc. UI Health Care will make sure that items go where they are needed most.
Mail gift cards to UI Health Care
Gift card donations are able to be sent in via mail to this address:
UI Health Care Medical Center on University Campus
200 Hawkins Drive
1104 RCP
Attention: Concierge Services
Iowa City, IA 52242
- Sweatshirts and elastic waist sweatpants for adult and children of all sizes
- Underwear for adults and children of all sizes
- Adult hard-soled slippers of all sizes
- Infant rattles and toddler toys
- Matchbox Cars:
- Individual sets
- Sets of 4 or 5
- Barbies
- Journals
- Word search books, crosswords, or sudoku
- Rubik’s Cubes
- Fidget spinners
- Slinkys
- Card games, such as:
- Uno
- Spot it
- Phase Ten
- Decks of cards
- Newly purchased, small plush animals
- Note: Please deliver in individual plastic bags
- Fisher Price Little People toys
- Small sets
- Small train cars
- Small farm animals
- Small ponies, horses, dinosaurs
- Small tractors
- Baby dolls of all ethnicities
- No-spill bubble tumblers with liquid bubbles
- Melissa and Doug brand toys
- Laugh and Learn toys
- Leapfrog toys
- Magna-Tiles
- PopSockets
- Earbuds
- Discovery Kids craft kits
- Slime and slime supplies
- Noise putty
- Toy medical kits, Fisher Price
- Oballs
- Nerf balls
- Action figures:
- Marvel
- Justice League
- Small and medium Lego kits
- Board books, crinkle books for babies
- Books with popular titles for all ages
- DVDs
- Note: Must be rated G, PG, or PG-13
- Backpacks
- Classic board games
- Items with popular characters
- Bath sets for teens
- Nail polish
- Crayola crayons
- Colored pencils
- Watercolor paints
- Crayola washable markers
- Sketch pads
- Coloring books for all ages, including adults
- Decorative duct tape
- Elmer's Glue (large bottles)
- Food coloring
- Glue Dots
- Glue Sticks
- Modeling clay
- Model Magic
- Paint canvases
- Playdoh and Playdoh sets
- Scissors (blunt tip)
- Individual craft sets for various ages and genders (see Amazon wish list)
- Model cars for varying abilities
- Deodorant
- Lip balm
- Mouthwash
- Shaving cream
- Saline solution
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Travel-size shampoo
Individually wrapped non-perishable snacks that have not exceeded the expiration date on the label can be donated.
How to donate your items
- Please call Concierge Services at
1-319-356-1900 or
1-319-678-5500 or
[email protected]
to schedule a donation drop-off.
Locations and Offices
