Will Survival Gifts be on your holiday list?

(NC)—When 25-year-old Mariatu Kamara started speaking, her voice was faint. People leaned forward in their seats, straining to hear her words.

Though she has told her story many times, it still takes her some effort to get started. Mariatu is a survivor of the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone. At the age of 12, she was held captive by rebel soldiers, and both of her hands were amputated. For three years, Mariatu lived in the refugee camps of Freetown and eventually immigrated to Canada.

Mariatu is now a high school graduate, a successful student at George Brown College in Toronto, Ontario and an award-winning book author.

She is also a UNICEF Ambassador, telling her story to audiences across the country. Her message? It’s easy for Canadians to provide lifesaving support to help children survive and thrive.

That’s why UNICEF created Survival Gifts – a simple and effective way to give a gift that can also save a life.

The Survival Gifts collection offers the holiday giver 45 unique gifts to choose from, in six different categories: health, education, food, water, play and emergency. They can be purchased online at www.survivalgifts.ca or by phone at 1 888 777 0380.

In 2010, Survival Gifts helped children in 69 countries survive and thrive. With the support of generous Canadians, UNICEF was able to deliver a staggering number of essentials throughout the world, including:

• 121,500 bed nets, 692 bicycles and 129 4WD vehicles to Sierra Leone

• 3,808,800 micronutrient powder sachets and 200 first aid kits to Cambodia

• 271 tents, 9,664,800 micronutrient powder sachets, 40,000 high energy biscuits and 44,465therapeutic milk sachets to Afghanistan

UNICEF Survival Gifts reach around the globe to save and transform lives. Because, as Mariatu will tell you, there can be no greater gift than giving a child a future.

www.newscanada.com

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Holiday gifts you can't wrap

(NC)—What do your children wish for this holiday season? You’d probably be surprised if they asked for clean water, education, and at least one meal a day. But children in developing countries would like nothing more than these basic essentials we often take for granted.

Two-time Olympic champion Catriona Le May Doan experienced this reality first-hand on a recent trip to Ethiopia.

“It broke my heart to see four-year old children walking two hours one way just to get clean water to drink,” she says. “For my own children, I just hand them a glass of water from the tap without a second thought.”

Le May Doan is a mother of two who has sponsored children with Christian Children’s Fund of Canada for 16 years. On her trip, she visited communities that now have access to clean water through rainwater harvesting tanks and pipelines, thanks to the organization. She also saw joy in the faces of children who attend a newly-constructed school and eat a solid meal through the organization’s projects.

“It’s inspiring to see the work that has been done with so little,” she says. “I want to keep bringing joy to these children and I challenge Canadians to do the same.”

Visit www.ccfcanada.ca/Gifts to purchase meaningful gifts for children in need like: fruit trees, school supplies, livestock, a rainwater harvesting tank, or a new school playground.

www.newscanada.com

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Give a gift that gives twice

(NC)—Plenty of hand-wringing takes place this time of year over what to give a teacher, a co-worker or the person who has everything. Thankfully, there are plenty of options at our fingertips—particularly in the category of charitable giving. Often, a gift that gives twice is the best gift of all, particularly when your gift recipient has an ever-growing collection of well-intended tokens of appreciation.

The challenge comes in choosing the right charity. While there is no shortage of great causes, you will want to make sure that the charity you select is one that is well equipped to put your donations to maximum benefit. Start by selecting a charity that covers all or most of the administrative costs so that your gift goes directly to the charity’s good works, rather than funding the charity’s operational needs.

One such example is the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation—Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and violence prevention and education programs. Royal LePage Canada underwrites all administrative costs for the foundation so that 100 per cent of donations go directly to funding the cause. In addition, Royal LePage agents make donations from their sales commissions to the charity, demonstrating their philanthropic efforts within the communities they serve.

“Considering that each year, thousands of women and children across the country turn to shelters to begin the process of rebuilding their lives after violence, the Shelter Foundation serves a critical role in Canada,” says executive director Shanan Spencer-Brown. “Our Royal LePage agents and brokers have shown incredible support for the charity since its inception in 1999. Now, we are appealing to the generosity of all Canadians to help us continue this important work.”

To learn more, or to make an online donation in lieu of a gift, visit www.royallepage.ca/shelter. To find a Realtor that donates to the Shelter Foundation, visit www.royallepage.ca.

www.newscanada.com

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Give this season's most precious gift

(NC)—Ask any new parent what it feels like to welcome a newborn child into the world. “Thrilled”, “ecstatic” and “overjoyed” are common replies. All new parents worry about what the future might hold for their babies, and hope they will grow up happy and healthy. Too many new parents, however, also face the very real fear that their child might not survive past his or her fifth birthday.

In many parts of the world, children confront significant obstacles just to survive: famine, disease, armed conflict and natural disasters are but a few of these.

UNICEF Survival Gifts provide Canadians with the opportunity to give a friend or loved one something that could save a life. The collection offers a choice of 45 gifts in six different categories: health, education, food, water, play and emergency.

“Many people simply don’t know how easy it is to make a difference,” says UNICEF’s President David Morley. “That’s why we’ve created Survival Gifts – to make it simple for the holiday gift giver to reach out to a child in need.”

In 2010, Survival Gifts helped children in 69 countries survive and thrive. With the support of generous Canadians, UNICEF was able to deliver a staggering number of essentials throughout the world, including:

• 3,000,000 water purification tablets to Bangladesh

• 1,224,000 micronutrient powder sachets and 105,000 therapeutic food packets to Nepal

• 4,784,000 measles vaccines and 158 4WD vehicles to Ethiopia

There is nothing more precious than saving and transforming the life of a child. To purchase this season’s most precious gifts, visit www.survivalgifts.ca or call 1 888 777 0380.

www.newscanada.com

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Choose the gift of giving this holiday season

(ARA) – The holiday season is an important time of year to celebrate with loved ones and show them how much you care. It is also a great opportunity to help those in need by considering gifts that give back and help those in need.
Your gifts can do more than make you and your recipients feel good. The value and impact can be immeasurable to the lives you’re affecting. Here are some ways you can help those in need this year:

* Find out what nonprofit organizations your loved ones support, and make a gift donation in their names. Many nonprofits will provide a gift donation “thank you” card for the recipient to open on the holidays. It’s a nice way to honor your loved ones and the charities they support. A great example is a holiday card from Share Our Strength, the leading non-profit working to end childhood hunger in America.

* Purchase gifts from companies that donate part of your purchase price to a nonprofit organization. Hickory Farms, known for a variety of quality gift baskets and boxes, is offering a Party Planner Gift Box this holiday. The Hickory Farms Party Planner Gift Box is filled with savory favorites like the award winning Signature Summer Sausage and new Farmhouse Cheddar. This gift box is a great way to bring friends and family together this holiday season. For every Party Planner Gift Box sold this holiday season, the company will contribute $5 to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign (up to $500,000 through Jan. 31, 2012).

“The goal of the No Kid Hungry Campaign is to end childhood hunger in America by 2015,” says Bill Shore, Chairman and CEO of Share Our Strength. “One in five children cannot count on having enough to eat. Companies like Hickory Farms know that a hungry child is a disadvantaged child, and they make it easy for holiday shoppers to contribute to the fight to make sure all children struggling with hunger in our country have access to the nutritious food they need to live, learn and thrive.”

* Sponsoring another family’s holiday is thoughtful and easy way to give back this season. Choose a community organization that will identify a local family in need and help provide some of the gifts on their holiday wish list. Personalizing these gifts to the local family connects your family to theirs, and brightens the season for all.

Choosing gifts that give back this season can really help put you in the holiday spirit, while also benefiting those organizations that rely on charitable donations this time of year. As your loved ones unwrap their gifts, know that the joy they are experiencing goes further to help others in your community and across the country. Visit hickoryfarms.com to order a Party Planner Gift Box that supports Share Our Strength, or to purchase other quality gift boxes.

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What's on your holiday shopping list?

(ARA) – Holiday shopping lists often contain toys, gift cards and other material items that the recipients can enjoy and put to good use. But your shopping list can go much further to not only benefit the recipients, but also a great cause.

Make your holiday gifts go further this holiday season with gifts that give back. One way is to purchase gifts through the American Diabetes Association’s Gift of Hope catalog, where every penny of profit goes directly to diabetes research. In the last 40 years, more than $24 million has been raised.

Gift of Hope offers an exclusive line of items for everyone on your list:
* Holiday cards, many of which were created by or dedicated to a person with diabetes
* Personalized photo gifts, including holiday greeting cards, travel mugs, phone skins and more
* House wares and seasonal gift items, such as plates, ornaments and hand towels

Catalog purchases are a Gift of Hope to the nearly 26 million children and adults in the U.S. who have diabetes, including Kathy Howard from St. Louis. In 2008 Howard went to the emergency room thinking she had the flu, only to find out she had a stroke and type 2 diabetes.

“I couldn’t even put into words the shock and terror I felt those first few days,” explains Howard. “I began a new life the day I went to the hospital.”

Since her stroke and diagnosis Howard has lost over 85 pounds and exercises regularly. “You have to keep working towards good health,” she says. “Don’t wait until something happens.”

Another way to give back this holiday season is to make a donation in honor or memory of a loved one. Gift of Hope offers honor or memorial gift cards, which represent a tax-deductible donation to diabetes research.

No matter which way you give, buy gifts that support a cause this season. Feel better about successfully checking off your holiday shopping list, while also making a difference in the lives of millions.

Support the Association’s diabetes research efforts and help people like Howard. Shop the Gift of Hope online catalog at www.shopdiabetes.org/giftofhope.

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Giving green: Natural ways to spread holiday cheer

(ARA) – The holidays are a time for celebrating, reflecting on the past year and exchanging gifts with friends and family. However, unique and meaningful ideas can be a daunting task. Gifts that keep giving and growing are a perfect solution. Plants are not just beautiful, but also cheer up any space and even improve air quality in a home or office space.

When gifting plants:

Give care:
Always include care instructions for the plant gift. Even the most experienced indoor plant grower appreciates a little help. Most live goods come with suggested light feeding and watering recommendations. If the plant selected does not have these care instructions, ask before leaving the nursery so the recipient can keep this lovely gift green.

Customize the plant to the person:
Flowers, succulents, cacti, tropicals and even bulbs can make great presents. The varieties and combinations are as endless as the personalities on your gift list. It is important to match the plant to the recipient. For instance, a plant needing daily watering would not make a good gift for a constant traveler. Instead, give them an interesting cactus or succulent, which needs less frequent care. For an artistic friend, try a terrarium that can be customized to their tastes. The more sophisticated giftee may appreciate a colorful and delicate orchid. For those with asthma or allergies, plants like palms, peace lilies and ferns do an excellent job of improving air quality and filtering out toxins.

Containers make a difference:
Those boring, plastic pots that house most plants are not very attractive or personal. Pop your plants into colorful ceramic, glass, wood or even metal containers for a more interesting and personal touch. Inexpensive terra cotta pots can be painted in bright or metallic-colored paint, large coffee cups as containers can add a quirky element or baskets can be lined with plastic and used to hold small pots. When repotting plants yourself, make sure to use a high-quality potting mix such as Miracle-Gro Potting Mix or Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Potting Mix. Also, keep in mind that specialty plants like cacti, African violets and orchids may perform better in special potting mixes. When in doubt, ask the nursery for recommendations. For presentation, wrap foil, paper or cellophane around the outside of the container and use fabric bows or raffia to add a finishing touch.

Plants at the party:
Little gifts from nature go a long way in spreading the holiday cheer to friends, family and neighbors. When hosting a party, offer little mementos for your guests to take home. Try a small terra cotta pot painted gold and planted with rosemary or thyme and tied with a lovely ribbon Or, maybe small, colorful pots filled with soil and a bulb to add a pop of spring to the winter months. Add a photo of the flower your guest can expect and directions on forcing the bulb to the gift tag. Whether paying a call on friends or attending a party, host or hostess gifts are another fun way to spread holiday cheer. Poinsettia, amaryllis and Christmas cactus are seasonal favorites.

Plants make excellent gifts and will be a reminder of the good times you shared.

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You can make a difference in the world this holiday season if you keep your social conscience in mind and shop for gifts with a purpose.

Community Trade and Charming

Buy products that help some of the neediest communities in the world. Community trade benefits more than 25,000 people in more than 20 countries. The Body Shop is offering three limited edition Bath & Body selections (Merry Cranberry, Nutmeg & Vanilla and Black Velvet Apricot) that feature community trade ingredients.

For example, a gorgeous fragrance gift like Love Etc from The Body Shop is the first perfume to use alcohol made from community trade organic sugar cane. A luxurious combination of feminine jasmine with notes of vanilla and sandalwood, it’s a gift that definitely gives back.

Sumptuous and Sustainable

Look for products that contain sustainable and organic ingredients. These eco-friendly gifts are plentiful in every category and such social responsibility doesn’t need to break the bank. For example, beautiful eco-chic gift bags and boxes from The Body Shop can be filled with your own selection of festive purchases and are made of recyclable materials. What makes it even better is that for each bag sold, a donation is made to the Somaly Mam Foundation to help young girls.

Decked and Delicious

Give gifts that will be appreciated and gone in just a few bites. Edible goodies like breads, cookies, dried fruits and nuts made with organic and local ingredients are sure to delight. Package them in beautiful reusable tins and jars.

Gifts that Give Back

Look for products that give back such as the Soft Hands Kind Heart hand cream from The Body Shop. The lush moisturizer, with angelica extract and community trade olive oil, is kind to hands, but is also symbolic of a kind heart as each purchase supports the “Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People” campaign with ECPAT-USA (a global organization working to combat child exploitation). Take a stand with your gifts and raise awareness this holiday season.

Holiday Hot

This season’s hottest makeup trends are also affordable and appreciated stocking stuffers . . . or a small and well-deserved personal indulgence. Strong, smoky eyes in colors of lilac, silver, warm plum and chocolate and flushed cheeks in sheer peach and golden pink are essential to the season’s sexy, sultry style. International makeup artist Chase Aston suggests adding a subtle hint of shimmery body powder to sparkle like the crisp night sky.

“Dip a blusher brush into the pot then lightly smile and dust over the apple of the cheeks, along the cheek bones, onto the nape of the neck, shoulders and decolletage for a barely-there shimmering highlight with a hint of color,” says Aston. He recommends products featuring community trade and organic ingredients to enhance your natural beauty.

Seasonal Sharing

Now is the most wonderful time of the year to clean out your closets of clothing and accessories you haven’t used in more than a year and donate them to charity. You’ll make room for this year’s holiday bounty and your donation may be someone else’s holiday treasure.

For more information on gifts that give back, visit TheBodyShop-USA.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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(ARA) – Gift cards will be the most requested gift this year, with nearly 55 percent of consumers reporting they would like to receive a gift card this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation. Each year, 70 percent of consumers purchase a gift card as a holiday gift and for the fifth year in a row, gift cards are expected to lead holiday purchases.

The main reasons shoppers purchase gift cards, according to a study by Deloitte, are:

1. They allow recipients to select their own gift.
2. Gift cards are easier and faster to buy than traditional gifts.

However, nearly one quarter of respondents stated they would be less likely to buy gift cards because they feel gift cards are impersonal.

Offering the convenience of a gift card, but a more personal gift, the GiveCard is the first and only gift card that allocates $5 from every card for a donation to a charity of the recipient’s choice. Recipients have the choice of thousands of organizations that they can donate to. The sender has the option to personalize the delivery of the card through online capabilities on GiveCard.com. The rest of the money left on the card is for spending like cash, everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. It’s like two personal gifts in one.

The idea for including a donation within a gift card came while founder Clayton “Nick” Nicholas was stationed overseas in the military. His mom liked to receive gift cards, but he always wanted to send her something more personal, which was often difficult with limited options and the distance separating them. A more meaningful, personal gift card that benefited a cause she believed in solved the problem – and an idea was born.

On average, if just 1 percent of gift cards given were GiveCards, an additional $50 million would be donated to charity. That’s the power of microgiving: small contributions adding up to a big impact. With the struggles charities have seen during this turbulent economy, these donations are providing a vital impact. Recipients can choose from thousands of national and local 501(c) registered charities like the American Red Cross, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Humane Society.

By giving a GiveCard, one generates a small donation and joins the growing community of microgivers who realize that when a large number of people make small individual contributions, they can make a big difference. But microgiving is not just monetary; it’s the small acts of kindness and charity made by people around the world every day. Join the microgiving movement on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GiveDay. To learn more about microgiving and GiveCard, visit www.GiveCard.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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