The busy chaos of holiday shopping has arrived! As you are searching for the perfect gifts for your friends and loved ones, remember the true spirit of the season and consider opting for gifts that also give to those in need. There are a lot of great businesses out there that donate the proceeds of specifc items' sales to charitable causes. There are seven of our favorites:
Give a child in your life an adorable plush animal to cuddle with and you put a book in the hands of another. When you buy Austin the Alligator, Kami the Kangaroo, Kayla the Koala, or Jack the Giraffe, 100% of the money from your purchase is donated to Chapters of Hope, a Deseret Book initiative dedicated to providing books for kids worldwide.
Price: $6.95
Candles are always a popular holiday gift item. This one, made with blend of natural soy and vegetable waxes and scented with an exotic combination of Indonesian greens, freesia, white blooming jasmine, bergamot, rose, and a hint of fresh coconut, has an approximate burn time of 60 hours. Even better, 10% of the sales go to Walubi, a charitable relief organization providing emergency relief work and rebuilding infrastructure in poor and disaster-hit areas of Indonesia.
Price: $32.00
A beautiful calendar featuring photos submitted to the LDS Living Temple Photo Contest, this product will keep your family focused on the temple all year long. The 12 incredible new pictures are coupled with inspirational quotes from latter-day prophets and apostles. Proceeds go towards the Church’s General Temple Patron Assistant Fund, which provides assistance to those who need help getting to a temple to participate in sacred ordinances.
Price: $15.99
This popular New York Times Bestseller features a collection of stories, recipes, and photos about family, home, and the Romney kitchen as told by Ann Romney, wife of former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Proceeds from the sale of this book are donated to the Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston.
Price: $19.99
Help fight AIDS while this holiday simply by purchasing participating red items from popular shopping stops already on your list, such as Apple, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and Bed Bath & Beyond. Some of the featured items this year include red electronic devices and cases from Apple as well as a variety of clothing, bags, and home décor items from other participating partners. For each item, up to 50% of proceeds are donated directly to The Global Fund via (RED), specifically to fund HIV/AIDS programs in Africa. For a complete list of items, visit the (RED) shopping page.
Price: 80¢ post cards up to $770 novelty handbags
6. Gift of Hope
Gift of Hope is the American Diabetes Association’s catalog of high-quality and affordable holiday gifts, and offers a range of items from cards and candles to jewelry and cool gadgets. Net proceeds from Gift of Hope purchases support diabetes research and education and advocacy efforts.
Prices vary according to item, though most are under $50
KITE, a school supply company, will donate one pencil pack to a child in need for every one pencil pack purchased. KITE’s First Edition Pencils are made in the USA, and primarily go to partners in Kipp Ujima Village Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Oloomongi School in Masai Mara, Kenya.
Price: $10 per pack of 12