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What ya doing for those less fortunate?
I'm in a new community so I'm doing a little research. I gave kiva.org gift certs to my parents last year that they've let languish. It was supposed to be a gift that kept on giving from folks that don't need anything more to dust. I may just give directly some place else in their name this year.
I think this is going to be a year when a lot more people than usual need our help.
I have lots in my family who have been really hard hit. They're all getting useful things that they aren't able to buy for themselves now, and likely some grocery store type gift cards. Many are also getting hand knitted (by me!) comforting garments (hats, scarves, neck warmers).
One of the benefits to working from home is I don't have to participate in Secret Santa gift giving to co-workers. It always pained me to see someone who was barely making ends meet either having to abstain or struggle to participate. And then it was mostly junk that was "gifted" and then thrown away. Yuck.
I'm out of it now, but it seems that Secret Santa gift boxes for charities have become much more popular, at least at our company's various offices. A few pennies collectively can go a lot farther.
Last year I chose Heifer International, this year I haven't quite decided, but I'll probably donate to our local food bank (Second Harvest). There is also a local organization started by a woman at the hospital where I work, they buy bikes for kids. Oh, and a new one - a young boy burned over 85% of his body, the hospital foundation has set up a fund to buy him a computer for school use.
Gift for Edgar
Turning Wheels for Kids
I'll probably divide my donation between these three.
Cool idea! I'll have to pass that on, should I ever find myself in that position again:)Quote:
Originally Posted by SadieKate
CA
My company is really big on community involvement and every month we contribute our time and $ to some organization -- Habitat, the local Shelter Network, food drives and food sorts at the Second Harvest Warehouse, backpacks and school supplies for needy kids, that sort of thing.
This month we're doing the Family Giving Tree. We have a Christmas tree in our break room on which Wish Cards are hung. On these cards are the first name, age, and the "wish" of a needy child in the area.
Those of us participating select a card and buy the toy listed on the card for the child. The agency collects the toys from us, wraps them and distributes them for Christmas.
So I'm going to schelp over to Toys 'R Us one of these days to pick up a Lego Harry Potter set for Mark, age 7. :cool:
All too often we just forget time . . . .
There doesn't appear to be a limit! Wow. I know where I'm going Dec 6.
A private donor has offered to match any donation during this event. This is a great way to make the donation go even further! Come join us at the Bend Fred Meyer's store in their Toy Section. Any toy, clothing or food donated at Fred Meyer's during the event will be matched 100% by a private donor!
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Originally Posted by jobob
We do this at my company too. I don't have kids of my own, and DH and I don't need anything. Our nieces and nephews are so spoiled it's ridiculous, so I "adopted" a family of 4 and a family of 2 kids in a similar program.
You know what was heart wrenching? Reading that a 15 year old boy's toy wish list includes gloves, hat and scarf. Oh, and sporting equipment. I'm all over that one....
SheFly
p.s.
Thanks to all of you who give to others, in ANY way possible.
We have an organization in our community, called Powerhouse Ministries: "Some of the people we minister to are families of prisoners at Folsom State Prison. But most are just men and women dealing with ordinary, difficult and painful life events: the loss of a job or home, drug and alcohol abuse, divorce and lack of child care or transportation."
They have a drop-in center, neighborhood outreach programs, and a family transition center.
Anyway, this year we're participating in Angel Tree again. My husband chose a 16 year old boy and I chose a 4 year old girl. In fact, we went shopping for them today. We were instructed to spend $40 each and were given sizes and ideas of what they wanted. We'll wrap the gifts and affix a card "signed" by their parents/caregivers. The gifts will be given out at the big dinner/celebration our church is throwing for them in December.
We've always done this stuff on our own, but this year my husband's dad and sister are going to do it too (the malls in AZ have angel trees as well) and we'll then send cards to each other saying what we got our "kids" in lieu of getting each other stuff. Pretty cool. ;)
I'm sponsoring a family through the Children's Bureau to provide them with some Christmas gifts and other needed items. My office is also donating some $$ to them. I'm also buying some gifts for the Y's Breakfast with Santa event for kids who are currently living in shelters.
Heifer! Heifer! Heifer!
This will be my 5th year giving to Heifer International on behalf of all adults in my family/friend circle (the kids I know get books :)). Everyone is really into it now, especially me. Nothing puts me in the holiday spirit like picking out a big batch of goats, llamas, bees, water buffaloes, chicks and ducks. It's a tight year this year, and those critters will make a bigger difference than ever.
I will buy a toy for brown santa. My parents used to make me do this every year, pick a toy I wanted and give it to the police man collecting. I remember distinctly being 6 or 7 and picking out the coolest She-ra ever then handing it to the sheriff to wrap for someone else. I was so excited when my Christmas tree had one for me too but even at that age I knew someone else was excited about it too. It was a cool red headed friend of She-Ra. :)
My father lived at Salvation Army before he went into foster care, I always give as much as I can to the red pots. They fed my dad and gave him a blanket when he was only 5 years old, I hope they are still that wonderful because I know my Dad is.
One thought on donations to a charity in the name of someone else....
I had a "gee, thanks" response when my Dad's wife made a donation to a charity I'd never heard of in my name as my Christmas present. I should hasten to add, I was replying to a card in the mail, and not in person. I didn't mind the principle of the thing, but would have preferred it to a charity I'd actually heard of OR a charity I supported. I'm not questioning that said pet charity of C was worthy, but I didn't support their political cause when I read their info flier.
So if you're going to donate to charity in someone's name - is there a way to find out if said honored recipient might prefer a different charity or have charities they support (morally or financially)?
I got absolutely nothing out of the gift, money was donated in my name to a cause I'd never heard of and didn't completely support, and they got the tax deduction.
I can't imagine giving to a charity in someone else's name without their agreement.
And I'm not looking for a tax deduction with holiday gifts . . . .
Since I have kids in school, I participate in a partnership program where they match a more prosperous school with one in a poverty area. Our sister school is in Richmond, California. These kids don't have coats, shoes, basic school supplies and usually don't have snacks or lunch to bring to school. I bought lunch tickets and we are trying to get gift cards for shoes and coats. These kids live right in our area and are desperate for help. You can contact the schools in your area and they can probably give you a long list of kids that need something. WE also give food to the local food banks. My son's class is doing one of those gift exchanges - something under $10 -which I think is unnecessary. Only kids who bring a gift, get to participate in the exchange. so I went and bought several boy gifts and girl gifts so no one would be left out. I don't think the teacher should do this - why sponsor anything that potentially leaves anyone out? For family, my father celebrated his 80th birthday last year and I framed a great family picture for everyone. We don't get together all at one time very often. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
This is ridiculous. And what about the non-Christian children? And why not a handmade item/ornament/card/whatever so they can learn about each other?Quote:
Originally Posted by vinbek
That was kind of you to get extra gifts.
The last thing I'd do is donate to a political cause in someone else's name. My politics are my own, I don't push them on anyone else. That's why I choose things like the food bank, or our local county hospital foundation, and yes bikerz -- Heifer. It was fun hearing my sister say "I got a llama for Christmas" :DQuote:
Originally Posted by SadieKate
My yearly donations are not enough for me to get the tax deduction, heck I still file on the short form.....:rolleyes:
So sweet. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Aggie_Ama
Now you guys have got me wanting a llama for Christmas ! No, make that a water buffalo. Way more impressive. :cool:
Moooooooom! How come he got a water buffalo and all I got was a box of chicks!!!! :p
It took a bazillion years but a few years back my family finally convinced a business contact of ours to stop sending crappy baked goods to three separate households and to give to Heifer in our name instead. Whew.
I think of Heifer throughout the year a lot more fondly than I do the yucky plastic wrapped and ugly tinned "food."
As you may or may not have noticed, I'm a member of a Renaissance / Medieval recreation group (SCA), and our local group is hosting a widely attended event, Christmas Reval. Anyway, in order to enter the tournaments or arts competitions, the "entry fee" is a new unwrapped toy which we collectively donate to the Toys for Tots program. Last year we had enough toys that the local Marines had to go back for a bigger truck. As this year will be our last to rent the particular camp where we're holding the event, we plan to make it extra special for the toy drive.
Here's a photo an earlier year....
Attachment 8010
The materials from Heifer always make me choke up.
The catalog that came yesterday says "Peace can only begin when poverty and hunger end" Ain't that the truth. And then lots of photos of smiling kids from Ecuador and Kosovo and elsewhere hugging their dairy cows and goats.
Im buying my mom some uggs and my boyfriend a nice leather wallet.
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Originally Posted by bmccasland
I had wondered if you were, based on your avatar. DH and I met at Pennsic and still play a bit, but not as much as we used to. Our local group back in N.C. used to do the Toys for Tots tourney each year too--it was always one of the more popular ones.
Sarah
Heifer has become my standard gift for my parents and for the kids' teachers (usually along with a bookstore giftcard for them).
I just received a big order from SERRV--everyone on my list is getting something from them. They do all fair trade crafts and foods (mmmmm, chocolate.....), so you get to give a nice gift and support a good cause.
My scout troop is going caroling for cans the first week in January--collecting cans that will be donated to the local food pantry. They're also participating in another scout's Gold Award project that involves making care packages for inmates at the state mental hospital in our town. And we're making and selling holiday "cookies" for dogs. The money from that is going to a local animal shelter.
DH and I are adopting a family from the Family Giving Tree and at work we're collecting for the employee and students helping hands fund. And there will probably be other little things that come up over the next month (the kids' schools usually collect toys and hats and gloves and such). We've been very, very fortunate that we haven't been hit hard economically this time around, but we remember the last time all too well and want to do what we can to help.
Sarah
The last years I worked, I gave to both Heifer International and Mercy Corps in honor of my co-workers. I didn't really know them that well, they were all younger than my kids so I wasn't very tuned to their lifestyle. I did put a nice Christmas ornament on the cards announcing their gifts. I thought of it as a way of opting out of the "give a gift to everyone you know" mindset.
I always love buying for the tree giving things... I picked up the information for a 17 yr old girl, and a 5 yr old boy in the same family today. I think it's so fun to pick out items that you know they've asked for and need so badly. It feels better than any of the other shopping that I do at this time of year.
Our holiday party at work this year has made the change from drawing names and exchanging gifts, to putting it all into one pot and giving it to a charity. We've chosen to give to a charity that supports abused women and their children when they leave their homes and have no where to go. They need bedding, toiletries, basic clothing, etc.
Last year I gave to the Sierra Club instead of buying a gift for my name drawee... he appreciated that, as there was nothing I could buy him that he needed.
Excellent thread!