You head to the mall with a list: golf balls for your mom, sunglasses for your cousin, shoes for your best friend. But how many of these gifts that you've spent hours stressing over and shopping for will end up sitting in a closet, dropped off at Goodwill or worse: regifted? This year, there's a more meaningful way to shop for your loved ones and make a difference. Check out these gifts that give back:
Gifts that give back —
You head to the mall with a list: golf balls for your mom, sunglasses for your cousin, shoes for your best friend. But how many of these gifts that you've spent hours stressing over and shopping for will end up sitting in a closet, dropped off at Goodwill or worse: regifted? This year, there's a more meaningful way to shop for your loved ones and make a difference. Check out these gifts that give back:
More and more aid organizations are offering charity "gift catalogs" that offer tents, water cans, even livestock and poultry for families in need. For as little as $30, <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgifts.rescue.org%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">you can buy a flock of chickens for a needy family from International Rescue Committee</a> as a "symbolic gift" for a friend or relative. The charity will often mail a beautiful holiday card to your loved one with a personalized message from you. So if you don't want another pair of slippers or scented lotion set this year, make sure to tell your family and friends about this great gift idea.
Symbolic gifts: Flock of chickens —
More and more aid organizations are offering charity "gift catalogs" that offer tents, water cans, even livestock and poultry for families in need. For as little as $30, you can buy a flock of chickens for a needy family from International Rescue Committee as a "symbolic gift" for a friend or relative. The charity will often mail a beautiful holiday card to your loved one with a personalized message from you. So if you don't want another pair of slippers or scented lotion set this year, make sure to tell your family and friends about this great gift idea.
If you're interested in giving a donation in lieu of a gift, $26 to the <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdonate.unrefugees.org%2Fsite%2Fc.lfIQKSOwFqG%2Fb.6737387%2Fk.B4B%2FDonate_to_the_UN_Refugee_Agency_in_the_USA%2Fapps%2Fka%2Fsd%2Fdonorcustom.asp" target="_blank" target="_blank">United Nations' refugee agency </a>can put a child through an entire year of primary school in Chad. <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unrefugees.org%2Fsite%2Fc.lfIQKSOwFqG%2Fb.7714427%2Fk.EB92%2FShop_to_Benefit_Refugees__The_UN_Refugee_Agency.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank">The organization also offers other gifts</a> that support its efforts to benefit refugees.
Symbolic gifts: Educating a child —
If you're interested in giving a donation in lieu of a gift, $26 to the United Nations' refugee agency can put a child through an entire year of primary school in Chad. The organization also offers other gifts that support its efforts to benefit refugees.
For $15, you can send a care package to a U.S. soldier overseas through <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.operationgratitude.com%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Operation Gratitude</a>, which has sent more than 600,000 such packages since 2003.
Symbolic gifts: Care packages —
For $15, you can send a care package to a U.S. soldier overseas through Operation Gratitude, which has sent more than 600,000 such packages since 2003.
If you're interested in getting a gift that you can wrap and put under the tree, $10 from each CamelBak Groove water bottle, complete with a filter built into its straw, benefits Water.org. The nonprofit organization, founded by actor Matt Damon and social entrepreneur Gary White, helps provide global access to clean water.
Groove water bottle —
If you're interested in getting a gift that you can wrap and put under the tree, $10 from each CamelBak Groove water bottle, complete with a filter built into its straw, benefits Water.org. The nonprofit organization, founded by actor Matt Damon and social entrepreneur Gary White, helps provide global access to clean water.
These special-edition <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oakley.com%2Fproducts%2F6528%3Fpromotion_id%3D6%26cm_mmc%3Dgoogle-semsearch-_-Brand-Products-Men-Sunglasses-_-Fuel-Cell-Livestrong-_-oakley%2520livestrong%2520fuel%2520cell%2520sunglasses" target="_blank" target="_blank">Oakley sunglasses </a>not only block all UVA, UVB and UVC rays, $20 from each purchase goes to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports those affected by cancer.
Oakley Livestrong fuel cell sunglasses —
These special-edition Oakley sunglasses not only block all UVA, UVB and UVC rays, $20 from each purchase goes to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports those affected by cancer.
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in America, and the <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heart.org%2FHEARTORG%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">American Heart Association </a>is focused on raising awareness on this matter. Pro-Flite golf balls printed with a red dress symbolizes the AHA's Go Red for Women heart health campaign. About 25% of proceeds will help fund research and support education and community programming for awareness of the disease.
Red dress golf ball set —
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in America, and the American Heart Association is focused on raising awareness on this matter. Pro-Flite golf balls printed with a red dress symbolizes the AHA's Go Red for Women heart health campaign. About 25% of proceeds will help fund research and support education and community programming for awareness of the disease.
Apple is donating a portion of the proceeds from each <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fipod%2Fred%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Product Red</a> special-edition iPod to Africans with AIDS. The donations will go directly to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS.
Apple product red iPod nano —
Apple is donating a portion of the proceeds from each Product Red special-edition iPod to Africans with AIDS. The donations will go directly to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS.
If you want to give the gift of shoes this holiday season, <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.toms.com%2Four-movement%2Fmovement-one-for-one" target="_blank" target="_blank">TOMS One for One program</a> donates one pair of shoes to a child in need for each for each pair of Toms that's purchased. The campaign also applies to <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.toms.com%2Feyewear%2Four-movement%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">TOMS Eyewear.</a> Each pair of glasses purchased will help restore sight to people in need by providing medical treatment, prescription glasses or sight-saving surgery.
TOMS shoes —
If you want to give the gift of shoes this holiday season, TOMS One for One program donates one pair of shoes to a child in need for each for each pair of Toms that's purchased. The campaign also applies to TOMS Eyewear. Each pair of glasses purchased will help restore sight to people in need by providing medical treatment, prescription glasses or sight-saving surgery.