Ronald Offers
Happy moments at the Toy Bank
Hidden among the high flats in Meerzicht is the Gro-Up building. Besides youth and youth work, there is also a separate room for the IKROS Foundation's Toy Bank. Here children whose parents do not have much money can get free toys. Volunteers from the foundation open their doors three afternoons a week for children, parents and grandparents.
IKROS stands for Every Child's Right to Toys. Ronald Offers is a board member of the foundation and driving force behind the Toy Bank. He manages the Gro-Up premises 3 days a week. The other 3 days of the week he can be found here as a volunteer. It is a special place.
"This is where we make happy moments," Ronald says. "We make people feel good. Not only the children go home with a happy face. So do the parents or grandparents of those children. You have to imagine that there are parents who sometimes haven't been able to give gifts for a birthday for years. Or to celebrate St. Nicholas or the Sugar Festival. Just because there is not enough money to buy toys! Here we offer an alternative."
The toy bank is intended for people from Zoetermeer who have a ZoetermeerPas. "It works with points. Every new month the people who are in our database get 3 points with which they can pick out free toys. Depending on the type of toy, there is a value of 1 or 2 points. In addition to the toys chosen, the children also get to choose a game and a book for free. About 250 children come every month."
Most of the toys in the toy bank come from individuals throughout South Holland. These are people who clean up their house and want to give toys a second life. Or from children who no longer use their toys and want to give them to other children. Another part is bought with the help of suppliers and sponsors. Think for example of soccer balls, clay and markers. These are often not complete or usable second-hand. There is also a sponsor for batteries so that the games work when they leave the premises.
"An important medium is Facebook. We post messages here for specific toys we need. Then offers come in from everywhere. That works very well."
There are 11 volunteers working at the Toy Bank. A few years ago Ronald did a lot in the organization himself. But now he is leaving more and more to the other volunteers. "It's a fantastic team. It's also nice to see that they are all developing personally as well. For example, an autistic boy who was very shy in the beginning, but now has more and more self-confidence."
Ronald also works with people with disabilities or non-congenital brain injuries. At Middin Vrouwenhuiswaard, people work on picking out toys and putting together packages. They bring those weekly to the Toy Bank and are very proud of it.
"My role is to make people comfortable. To listen to everyone. It's fulfilling and it makes me happy."
The toy bank is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Learn more about the Toy Bank at: www.speelgoedbankikros.nl.
