Giving Back – Holiday Gift Ideas
November 28, 2009
If you are like my husband and I, you are looking for ways to give something to those less fortunate this holiday season. While a gift of time is ideal and doesn’t cost anything (except time), sometimes we would like to do a little more. Following are our favorite charitable organizations that help those in need around the world:
For as little as $20 you can donate a flock of ducks or geese or for $30 you can donate a hive of honey bees. Your gift provides training and a means of self sufficiency. And it is a gift that keeps on giving. Heifer encourages recipients to share the offspring of their gifts with others in need.
Kiva connects people through micro-lending to alleviate poverty. You can make micro-loans to entrepreneurs anywhere in the world.
Habitat seeks to eliminate homelessness and poverty throughout the world by providing simple, decent and safe housing.
These are 3 organizations we have chosen. There are many, many organizations that would be grateful for your donation of time, money or materials. Even your cast-offs can mean a child will have a warm winter coat instead of shivering in a threadbare sweatshirt. Donate where you can and what you can.
If you have some other ideas for charitable giving, please feel free to post them in the comments below.
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2 Responses to “Giving Back – Holiday Gift Ideas”
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Michelle – not only are these great options for the the holidays – as a professional organizer – I often recommend these ideas (and others) as wonderful gifts. People have too much stuff and often don’t need or want more. Gifts that help others – such as a charitable donation in their name is usually appreciated and such a wonderful way to give back to the community.
My daughter is turning 8 in January and she is requesting that instead of gifts, people bring donations to the local animal shelter as she is a big animal lover. I’m really proud of her – and we sure don’t have room to store a bunch more plastic toys which is what she’d end up getting otherwise.
Nice post!
Hi Liz: Bravo for your daughter and for the great job you did raising her. Most 8 year olds are thinking about all the loot they are going to get, not about giving back. We give the kids in our families an opportunity to donate to charity. This year we are giving them a choice of charities since they are getting old enough to make informed decisions. We also “adopt” a local family through Salvation Army or other local charity to ensure they have a nicer Christmas.