“Imagine if you could end world hunger. This gift is a great start,” reads the card from Heifer International, one of the many charities supported by the Highland Park United Methodist Church “Gifts of Grace” program.
‘Tis the season to be giving! This year, instead of the traditional neckties and gift cards, consider giving a gift that benefits more than just its recipient.
“The gift given to honor you will help families enjoy improved nutrition and income for school, medicine, housing and a better way of life,” the card continues. “Your gift is really a gift for someone else who desperately needs it.”
There are a variety of ways to donate and give gifts that help people both locally and globally this Christmas.
Highland Park United Methodist Church (HPUMC) is hosting the “Gifts of Grace” program. By giving a “Gift of Grace,” one donates money for a specific item or service to one of 22 different charities.
A gift could provide a bed for a child in the Costa Rica Methodist Children’s Home, provide a year’s worth of children’s school supplies as a part of the Child-to-Child program at St. Stephan’s hospital in New Delhi, India or provide a free counseling session for a woman in crisis at the Genesis Women’s Shelter here in Dallas.
“I am really excited to give gifts this year that will help others,” said Jen Rogers, a first-year at SMU who is giving presents to friends and family through the “Gifts of Grace” program.
“I hope it will encourage them to look at the website and realize that just a small amount of money can make a great deal of difference.”
Many popular brands and stores are also offering options to give back this holiday season.
Pottery Barn is giving 50 percent of the proceeds generated from its popular lidded candle pots to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Gap continues to support AIDS research by offering more products and clothing in its (PRODUCT)RED line. BeatsByDre is also joining the global fund to fight AIDS in Africa by donating the proceeds from its new RED pair of headphones.
Lord & Taylor will sell tote bags handmade by Nest, a nonprofit organization that works to empower women around the globe.
If you are wondering what to do with some of the unwanted gifts you receive this Christmas, The Gift Card Giver has created a unique way to give back this holiday season.
The gift card industry is a $60 billion-a-year industry, of which, between 10 and 15 percent goes unused each year.
The Gift Card Giver wants people to use as much of your gift card as they want, write how much is left on the card and then mail the gift card to them.
They then collect the cards, put several gifts together and use it to meet a need in the community.
“I think that The Gift Card Giver is a really interesting concept, and that it’s a mutually beneficial thing—you help people in need and get rid of the gift cards you will never use!” said Rachel Fox, a junior who is planning to donate some of her leftover gift cards this year.
For more information on where to send your leftover gift cards visit giftcardgiver.com.
More than $440 billion will be spent this year on the holidays.
By shopping for a cause, you can make your gift count this Christmas.
