A Montreal non-profit service has found a simple yet effective way to save parents money and help save the environment - through toy lending.
Joujoutheque offers families hundreds of toys at a fraction of the price. With a treasure trove of toys at each of its four locations, it's every child's - and parent's - dream come true.
Members Virginie Bachand-Lavallee and her 3-year-old daughter Orleans pay a small annual fee to select as many as four toys to keep up to three weeks at a time. Centres have as many as 800 toys.
"There are a lot of toys, a good turnover. They're toys you would like to buy, but are too big to buy, for example, a little kitchen for kids. My daughter loves that," said Bachand-Lavallee.
"In two weeks, kids have time to play a lot and I can see after two weeks, the interest goes down, and I bring toys back," said member Annie Brousseau.
Without the hassle or the big price tag, Joujoutheque has remained popular for 30 years. It was first designed with low-income parents in mind, but now, a different clientele is eye the lending library, drawn by their principles.
"This is a way to be more ecologically responsible," said Remi Masse.
Despite its popularity, the non-profit centre is only open two mornings and one evening a week, because it relies on volunteers to keep its doors open.
To visit a centre or to volunteer:
- Joujoutheque Saint-Michel
9480 Irene-Joly St.
Montreal, QC H1Z 4L2
(514) 381-9974
- Joujoutheque YMCA St Laurent
1415 Filion St.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4L 4E7
(514) 744-6268
- Joujoutheque De L'association Des Parents De Cote Des Neiges
6767 Cote-Des-Neiges Rd
Montreal, QC H3S 2B5
(514) 341-2844
- Joujoutheque Bordeaux Cartier
2005 Victor-Dore St.
Saint-Laurent, QC H3M 1S4
(514) 332-6552
- Joujoutheque Rosemont
5675 rue Lafond
Montreal, QC, H1X 2X6
(514) 722-1851