If you’re heading out this weekend to tackle your Christmas shopping head on, you might come across gift ideas that do double duty by giving hope to others.  Here are a few opportunities which will allow you to purchase a gift and also help a good cause at the same time.

If you would like to order some of these items online for Christmas, don’t delay.  Some major retailers are suggesting that this weekend is the deadline for regular shipping charges.  If your order doesn’t arrive in time, don’t worry.  Print out a photo of the item, wrap it in a pretty box and let the recipient know that he/she can enjoy receiving an extra gift after the excitement of Christmas Day is over.  Here at BCFamily.ca this is what we plan to do.

LOWER MAINLAND

Tutu Mama

 

This luscious tutu is made by Natalia Nanton, a local craftswoman who operates the TutuMama website.  It’s a fresh twist on the standard tutu and also comes with a special commitment.  A portion of the proceeds from sales of this tutu will be donated to the Land Conservancy organization.  The tutu is made after an order is placed and any extra fabric scraps that cannot be used are donated to the  Our Social Fabric organization.  Can you picture this yummy tutu on a little girl you know?  What colours would you pair with it? 

                                 
 

Canucks Place

If you’re a Canucks fan, or read local newspapers, you will know about the work that is done at the Canucks Place Children’s  Hospice. If you would like to get a copy of the Canucks Place Cookbook: From Our Kitchen to Yours, you will want to contact Canucks Place directly by calling  604.731.4847   Toll-Free: 1.877.882.2288  within BC

Wilderness Committee

There are some unique gift options available at theWilderness Committee ‘s online store including calendars and Fair Trade First Nations products that would make perfect hostess gifts.

3H Craftworks

If you are looking to purchase a handmade toy or felt story, this store (which has an online option), is the perfect destination.  All of the products are created by adults who have disabilities that have an impact on their ability to be employed.  The toys shown above were given to us here at BCFamily.ca as gifts.  They are truly precious.

Obakki Foundation

Vancouver’s local clothing company Obakkihas set up the Obakki Foundation and sells items to support their charitable causes. They asked 150 African orphans what makes them sad, happy and afraid, and their fund raising products incorporate the answers in the designs.   The products they sell are perfect conversation starters.  All proceeds go back to the orphanages that they support. You can check out the impressive agenda of the foundation on their website and order items online.

Seeds of Plenty

Seeds of Plenty is an organic sprouted seeded flower cookie company that supports the Lower Mainland based World in a Garden programme.  This year $5 of every Seeds of Plenty gift basket will be donated to The World in a Garden.  The benefit of supporting this programme is that there are so many interesting opportunities for you to take part in that are planned by The World in the Garden team. Do check out their website.

CROSS CANADA

Ikea

The Ikea Fabler Björn bearis a perfect gift for your children or a little friend.  One dollar from every purchase of an Ikea Fabler Björn bear during the month of December will be given to UNICEF. Fabler Björn is a real character, as the saying goes.  There is even a Facebook pagefor Fabler Björn owners. If you are not looking to purchase a bear, one dollar from every purchase of a soft toy at Ikea is donated to Save the Children and UNICEF to help education children. You can learn more about their projects on the Ikea Foundation website.

Ikea Pick a Tree, Plant a Tree

                                                                

Since 1996  Ikea, working in cooperation with Tree Canada,  has donated part of the proceeds from the sale of live Christmas trees to help fund the Pick a Tree, Plant a Tree programme.  So far they have helped plant 17,000 trees and shrubs in Canada.  If you know of someone who is planning to buy a real tree the Christmas, do mention the Ikea programme to them.

The Hudson’s Bay Company Foundation

If you love the look of the Hudson’s Bay Foundation Limited Edition Henry Kesley Bear unfortunately it does not appear to be available for purchase online.  If you are at The Bay in downtown Vancouver you will find them towards the back, middle region of the main floor.  If you would like to purchase a bear in another Bay store you could call them first to see if they have any in stock.  These bears are classic looking and sport the traditional Hudson’s Bay striped motif on their sweater.  They’re a keeper.  All proceeds help the Hudson’s Bay Foundation to support shelters, schools, hospitals, cultural organizations, sports teams and other community groups.  For a gift coming in just under $20, this bear is definitely a winner.  Buy one for a child you know or just give in to your desires and buy one for yourself!

Habitat for Humanity

If you are in a Real Canadian Superstore or  Loblaws, watch out for their Everyday Essentials^TM brand.  Sets of four striped porcelain mugs in a hat box are being sold.  Net proceeds from the sales go towards Habitat’s low-income housing programmes such as the 360 Built Smart Partnership. At $10 per set, this is an affordable, attractive and thoughtful gift.

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber?  Yes this Canadian lad not only knows first hand what it’s like to rely on food banks, but he’s also supporting the food bank in the town of Stratford, Ontario.   A portion of his Under the Mistletoe Christmas album will be donated to the Make a Wish Foundation, Pencils for Progress and other charities.  If you have a Justin Bieber fan in your life, supporting his album will also be a way to support  a number of great causes.  Justin also has a Believe Charity donation page on his website where you can donate to charities that he is supporting.

                                   

Ethical Bean Company

If you’re looking to add some coffee to a Christmas basket, serve it to your guests, or simply pick up a cup while shopping, consider supporting the Ethical Bean company.  During the month of December they run a Give Back to Kids programme.  Part of the proceeds from their December sales will go towards supporting projects in Guatemala, including Project Somos.  Interestingly, there is as connection between Project Somos and the World in a Garden project.

Bombay Company

If there is a Bombay Company store near you, call ahead to see if they are selling their Parker bear.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this bear will support the Starlight Foundation.  This foundation supports children who are very ill and their families.

Sears Charity Bears

If you are planning to be in a Sears store or want to check out their offerings online, consider purchasing one of their charity bears.  Proceeds from sale of the bears go towards supporting women who have cancer, via the Look Good Feel Good programme, and children who have cancer.

Birks and Because I Am a Girl

A portion of proceeds from the sale of the Dream Pendant will go towards supporting the Plan Canada Because I am a Girl programme.  The butterfly in the middle of this pendant symbolizes the growth of an individual when given the opportunity to pursue her dreams. This necklace is symbolic not only for the girls the proceeds support, but also for the recipient of the gift.

Roots Canada

Roots Canada’s Buy a Shirt Build a School programme is funded by the sale of t-shirts which sport bold statements about the programme.  These are conversation starters that are perfect for anyone you know who is committed to helping people who are less fortunate.  Here is what Roots Canada has to say about the t-shirt programme:

Roots and the Michael “Pinball” Clemons Foundation have joined the Academy of Lions’ “The Shirt Project” to help provide education and a sustainable existence. All net proceeds from the sale of this shirt will support Pinball’s goal of building schools for marginalized children in Africa through Free The Children’s Adopt a Village Program.

World Vision and Save the Children

Both World Vision and Save the Children run Gifts of Hope programmes.  Choose a gift that helps others in honour of your friend, or give a Gift of Giving cardto your friend and let him/her decide how the money should be allocated.  You will find that other charities run similar programmes.  Also, your favourite charity probably has a store where you can buy products and support their work at the same time.

We’d love to hear from you so don’t be shy! You can comment about this posting using the comment function below or visit us at our Facebook page.

Related

The Charitable Gift Giving website is a source of information about shopping and gifts that give back.

CharityVillage.com marketplace link page

Back in March we wrote about a volunteer effort on Vancouver Island that focused on creating packages of supplies, clothing and toys for children living overseas.  The focus at the time was on relief efforts in Haiti, but has since expanded to include other regions of the world.  Much work has been done since this piece was posted, so we thought we should provide an update.

Since finishing the last stage of their Haiti relief project in concert with  Canada Comforts, Victoria,  Al and Shirley Hardy have continued their work in assisting those less fortunate, the needy in Canada and overseas.  Shirley is starting to assemble the 100 plus Christmas shoeboxes for needy children which she produced last year as a part of her Shoebox Ministry with St. John the Baptist Anglican Church in Cobble Hill, B.C. This is a protracted task of collecting empty shoeboxes and finding very low cost or donated items such as pencils, erasers, small toys, and colouring books, for example, to provide a child with an educational and interesting present at Christmas. While the Hardys have been able to find good quality items at a low cost through donations and working with local businesses and liquidation stores, low cost does not mean low quality.  As you can see in the related slideshow below, they have even been able to secure donations of highly attractive shoeboxes!  The past response from the church and community has  been heartwarming. While the format for packaging of the items – shoeboxes – has been a theme developed by these types of programmes, it is an ideal template that any group – faith based or secular – can sed to collect and distribute needed items.

During the rest of year the items that have been created and collected by the Hardy’s volunteer team are stored in a warehouse.  When a request comes in for a specific type of item – for example clothes for 20 girls in an orphanage – the items are then sent to their recipients. Another project Shirley and many, many volunteers from St. John’ and the broader community are working on currently is the production of 150 dresses and 150 skirts, plus accompanying teddy bears. Shirley and her volunteers have had two workshops where some 28 women cut out pattern dresses from donated materials. These kits are then taken away by volunteer sewers and turned into finished skirts of various sizes. They hope to have them ready for presenting to Canada Comforts before Christmas for inclusion in their shipment(s) to needy children here and overseas. Al is on the sidelines, doing the heavy lifting, running errands, preparing meals in the kitchen to feed the volunteers and helping where he can be of help.

In preparation for the annual September Festival which attracts a large number of Islanders and outside province visitors, the Hardys, with considerable help from friends and supporters, collected over 50 boxes full of toys and games.  They then had to ensure that each item was in good condition, clean and appropriate.  Preparations included the refurbishing of Tonka trucks and the creation of popular gift baskets with teddy bears, candy and helium balloons.   A popcorn machine was secured and ice cream was brought in for the day.  Because of the quality of the toys and the well set-up Kids Corner Store, sales were brisk despite the drizzly weather. The proceeds from the Festival always provide funds for outreach to the needy in our communities. Shirley is now identifying organizations who might need the large amount of leftover toys and games and they will receive them for the needy, at no cost.

Al and  Shirley are keeping abreast of the Haiti situation, as well as in Pakistan and, where possible, they will make their own contributions to the ongoing wonderful work of  Canada Comforts which sends shipments to the needy in countries like these and others worldwide.

Al Hardy explains his involvement this way: “The satisfaction we derive from these projects is worth all the efforts involved. One thing to note though – those of us who are now retired are generally not just sitting around doing nothing, just looking after our own narrow interests. We hear all the time about seniors being a drain on Canada’s medical system, costing money for this and that but, maybe it should be noted that seniors, even those in their 90s, are busy helping others and without any cost to the social welfare system. ”

What do you think about this topic?  You may leave us a comment using the comment function below or by visiting our Facebook page.  We would love to hear from you!

Related
Original Project Haiti posting