Holiday Gift Programs that Make the World a Better Place

I'm on the road for a family wedding but just read this blog post by Beth Kanter and wanted to pass it along. Some great ways to shop AND help nonprofits at the same time. Be sure to check the "Comments" at the bottom for additional suggestions from readers.

Happy Thanksgiving!

To do: Click here to visit Nonprofit Tech 2.0 and spend some money that benefits more people than just your intended recipient.

Early Holiday Giving Opportunities

I went to the mall last week and was shocked to see it already decorated for Christmas. The holidays sneak up so quickly. It reminded me to check on a couple of giving opportunities that are great to do with your family, but happen really early in the season.

1. Operation Christmas Child: Collection week is NEXT week (November 16-23). Help your children pack a shoe box for a child; you can choose the age of the recipient (ages 2-4; 5-9; 10-14) and whether your box is for a boy or girl. Pack school supplies, hygiene products, hard candy, toys, flashlights, etc. Register your box online (paying a small fee for shipping, etc.) and you can track your box to find out where in the world it ends up! Enter your ZIP code at this page to find the closest drop-off locations if your church is not sponsoring a drive.

2. Charlotte Rescue Mission: Serving a meal on a holiday is very popular. Consider baking a pie (does it get any easier--or tastier--than the Libby's pumpkin pie?) with your child and delivering it the day before Thanksgiving to the mission.

3. Check your church or synagogue calendar for ways that you and your family can make a hands' on difference. One program you might consider is Room In the Inn, a partnership between over 100 area congregations and colleges and the Urban Ministry Center to provide a night of housing and meals for 12-14 people per site. Even young children can help make up the beds for the guests, or toss a salad for dinner.

To do: Keep a sharp eye out for volunteer opportunities that take place before the holidays take over your schedule.

Adopt-A-Bird, Release-a-Raptor

The Carolina Raptor Center was founded in 1981 and is "dedicated to the care and successful release of injured and orphaned birds of prey." It is located in Huntersville near Latta Plantation, and makes a great afternoon trip on a pretty fall day.

I was sort of half-listening to the TV yesterday and a piece about the temporary closing of the raptor center came on the news. With the CMS budget cuts and the ASC funding "reductions," the Carolina Raptor Center has had to rethink its budget and strategy. The center will reopen on November 17, and if you have not been out to visit before, or not been out for awhile, I encourage you to make the trip to support the center. The birds are gorgeous--owls, hawks, falcons--and the opportunities to see and learn about them up close and personal are not to be missed. Membership is so affordable--just $50 annually gets you and your immediate family in for the year. Join now and attend the 25th Anniversary Party on November 21, where they introduce two African Eagles to the CRC family.

Another great way to support the Carolina Raptor Center is by adopting a bird--this is a great gift from a godparent or aunt or uncle for the kid who has everything and you can't bear to buy them just a gift card for yet another electronic game. Bird adoptions range from $30 for an American Kestrel or small owl to $300 for an eagle. It's a cool gift for a budding scientist--they receive a 5x7 photograph of "their" bird, a written description of how this bird came to the center, a newsletter subscription AND a personal visit with their bird (you just call ahead to let the center know you would like to visit your bird). The personal visit would be a great time for some one-on-one with the special child!

Another cool way to support the center is by holding a "Release-a-Raptor" party. I think this is a GREAT idea. Prices start at $150 (depending on the size of your group) and you can either pick a date and just wait to see what type of species is ready to go, or request a certain species and wait for the center to call you. What an awesome birthday party--helping another creature fly free and healthy!

To do: Save the birds.

What to do with leftover Halloween candy

Here are a couple of suggestions for what to do with your leftover Halloween candy (we have a lot, thanks to the rainy night!). I understand that the candy is often given away to children where the soldiers are stationed. Go vote first, then get rid of your candy!

Organization #1 is Halloween Candy Buy Back, where local dentists register their practices and buy children's Halloween candy for $1/pound. Personally, I'm just interested in getting rid of MY leftover candy, but if you can convince your children, this is a great idea! You can enter your ZIP code on the website and find out which dentists in your area are participating: I found 4 practices in a 15-mile radius from my ZIP. The candy gets sent to Operation Gratitude, which handles the logistics. You need to call the dental practice to make sure you have not missed the deadline for bringing the candy in.

Organization #2 is Soldiers' Angels. I'm just cutting-and-pasting its information here.

Halloween has come and gone: the costumes are put away, the kids have come down from the sugar high, and the jack-o-lantern is starting to wilt... and there are still pounds and pounds of candy all over the place! What to do?

Our military men and women deployed around the world always enjoy candy in their care packages, and this is the perfect time of year for shipping chocolate--the cooler weather means it's less likely to melt! Patriotic kids and parents can send extra Halloween candy to Soldiers' Angels, who will make sure it brightens the day of a service member far from home (please be sure to send "the good stuff,"--no crushed/melted candy or broken/torn wrappers, etc).

Soldiers' Angels asks all Angels to spread the word and get their community involved in sharing their Halloween candy to give our troops a taste of home.

If you live east of the Mississippi, please ship your Halloween candy to:

Soldiers' Angels

112 Greenhill Road

Ramseur NC 27316
(Dropoff avail. M-F, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

To do: Vote and send off your candy!