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{{Orphan|date=September 2018}}

{{Infobox organization
| logo = [[Image:toybanklogo.jpg|200px|Toybank Logo]]
| formation = August 2004
| type = [[Non-governmental organisation]]
| headquarters = [[Mumbai]], [[India]]
| slogan = "Development through Play"
| name = Toybank
| founder = Shweta Chari
| website = [http://www.toybank.org www.toybank.org]
}}'''Toybank''', an initiative under The Opentree Foundation is an organization in India that promotes the Right to Play for all children. It provides a platform to all individuals from all ages to participate in this movement of propagating the Right to Childhood.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.helpyourngo.com/ngo-details.php?ngo=328&name=Opentree-Foundation-The-Toybank|title=NGO Details: Donate to the Opentree-Foundation-The-Toybank Online {{!}} HelpYourNGO|website=www.helpyourngo.com|access-date=2016-07-06}}</ref> It was founded in August 2004 by Shweta Chari. It is headquartered in [[Mumbai]] with a presence in [[Pune]], [[Bangalore]], [[Hyderabad]], [[Delhi]], [[Goa]] and [[Bhutan]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebetterindia.com/1779/a-toy-in-the-hands-of-every-child-toybank/|title=A toy in the hands of every child – Toybank - The Better India|date=2010-08-10|language=en-US|access-date=2016-07-06}}</ref>

Toybank reaches toys and board games to underprivileged children through distributions and the setting up of toy libraries called as Play Centers. The organization has set up 154 play centers in Mumbai with a total of 256 active play centers around the country.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/giving-children-the-right-to-play/article18494221.ece|title=Giving children the right to play|work=The Hindu|access-date=2017-07-14|language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
Toybank was initiated in 2004 by Shweta Chari. Her initial efforts to garner donations received a favorable response with a donation of over a thousand toys within a month.<ref name=":0"/> Chari took up a job in 2005 to fund her organization’s activities but quit in 2009 to completely focus her attention on Toybank. Toybank’s first major project was a toy distribution event for underprivileged children in 3 locations around Mumbai. By 2015, Toybank had established its presence in the form of 154 play centers in Mumbai and over a 100 play centers in other cities including Delhi, Pune, Bangalore.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.toybank.org/documents/AnnualReport1516.pdf|title=Toybank Annual Report 15-16}}</ref> Toybank was also involved in setting up 22 play centers in the drought-hit district of [[Beed]], [[Maharashtra]] affecting over 3100 children in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://manavlok.org/ngo/toy-bank/|title=Toy Bank – manavlok.org|website=manavlok.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-07-14}}</ref>

== Areas of Work ==
Toybank initially started with the objective of providing toys to children from weak socioeconomic backgrounds and this has been their primary area of work since its inception. Toybank regularly organizes collection drives in schools, corporate houses etc. through its volunteer network.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://civilsociety.defindia.org/toybank-at-10-is-still-all-joy/|title=ToyBank at 10 is still all joy|website=civilsociety.defindia.org|access-date=2016-07-06}}</ref> These toys are then dispatched to its play centers or wrapped and set aside for distribution.

Toybank has a network of 145 play centers in Mumbai and another 105 outside the city in 9 districts in rural Maharashtra. A library of toys is maintained at each one of these play centers visited by children from poor backgrounds. The toys at the libraries may either be newly bought or collected through the toy collection drives. As of 2016, Toybank is affiliated with 56 partners around the country.<ref name=":3" />

Toybank has also been involved in sensitizing teachers about the importance of play in a child’s development through its “Power of Play” workshops in community centers and public schools.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blog.toybank.org/|title=Toybank|website=blog.toybank.org|access-date=2016-07-06}}</ref>

== Media ==
* Toybank was featured in the UK edition of [[The Secret Millionaire|Secret Millionaire]] in 2010.<ref>{{Citation|last=Toybank India|title=Slumdog Secret Millionaire - Seema donates money to Toybank.m4v|date=2010-05-29|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBDm-JPe5Io|accessdate=2016-07-06}}</ref>
* Toybank founder, Shweta Chari was featured in the show Young Turks that aired on [[CNBC TV18]] in 2006<ref>{{Citation|last=Toybank India|title=Toybank CNBC interview|date=2006-11-09|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1ne-7yXa4&index=4&list=PLD88E474F2447884F|accessdate=2016-07-06}}</ref> and on [[CNN-IBN]] as a “Young Social Change Maker” in the "India Positive "news feature in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__4JogvzL4o&list=PLAkTggZtPInmgivgvPLfpwlgPRRMqhnWa|title=Delhi: Toybank gives underprivileged children space, toys to play|website=YouTube|access-date=2016-07-06}}</ref>
* Toybank was also featured on [[Times Now]] in 2012(Amazing Indians-Distributing Smiles)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.timesnow.tv/videoshow/4412565.cms|title=Distributing smiles-News-Exclusives-TIMESNOW.tv - Latest Breaking News, Big News Stories, News Videos|website=www.timesnow.tv|access-date=2016-07-06}}</ref>

== Awards ==
* Presented to the Consulate of the Singapore Government in 2013 and 2015<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goodnet.org/articles/this-bank-full-toys-gives-kids-childhood-they-deserve|title=This Bank Full of Toys Gives Kids the Childhood They Deserve - Goodnet|access-date=2016-07-06}}</ref>(collaboration)
* [[National Innovation Council (India)|National Innovation Council]], 2014<ref name=":1" />(collaboration)
* ·Indira International Innovation Star Social Entrepreneur Award 2012-Shweta Chari(won)<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://about.me/shweta.chari|title=Shweta Chari on about.me|last=Chari|first=Shweta|website=about.me|language=en-US|access-date=2016-07-06}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Child-related organisations in India]]

Toybank - Revision history

->BattyBot: /* top */Fixed date(s) per MOS:DATEFORMAT and general fixes