THE BEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE
Could there be anything more satisfying than finding the perfect gift for those you love? Absolutely. Knowing that the gifts are doing good for others, too. Here are some gift ideas that keep on giving.
Agriculture Pack
A World Vision Agriculture Pack provides seeds, animal feed, tools, training and emergency food to families in need. It costs $35, but partnerships with the Canadian government and various companies and agencies double the value to $70. Visit worldvision.ca/gifts.
Charity Gift Cards
When you wrap up a CanadaHelps gift card, the recipient is able to support a charity of choice. There are more than 86,000 registered charities with CanadaHelps, ranging from local health, and arts and culture charities to environmental and social services. Gift cards start at $5. Visit canadahelps.org.
Help Syrian Refugees
There are many ways to help a Syrian family coming to Canada. Check in your community to see if a family is being sponsored, make a donation or volunteer your time or services. There is also the Syria Emergency Relief Fund. Until Dec. 15, 2015, the federal government will match up to $100 million donated to registered Canadian charities in response to the impact of Syrian conflict. Visit charityintelligence.ca/syrian-refugees.
TOMS Slippers
Women’s White Gold Boucle Slippers are a perfect holiday gift. Plus, for every pair of TOMS shoes you buy, the company provides a new pair of shoes to children in need. To date, the company has given more than 45 million new pairs of shoes to children around the world. $55/pair. Visit toms.ca.
Shop for Hope
From the exclusive Shop for Hope collection at Winners and HomeSense, the net proceeds from the sale of this Plush Owl go to the Canadian Women’s Foundation. $14.99/each. Available at Winners and HomeSense, winners.ca and homesense.ca.
Gift with a Gift
Choose a gift at Indigo, such as the Fair Isle Socks with FauxSherpa Lining, and keep the gift going by donating to the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation at the cashier. The charity puts books into the hands of high-needs elementary school children. $34.50/pair, indigo.ca.
Help Free the Children
All artisans gifts purchased from Me to We help Free the Chil- dren communities overseas. A Ghanaian Brass Halo Necklace, for example, gives a woman access to a prenatal workshop. A Rafiki, made with colourful glass beads threaded onto a stretchy 1.2-metre cord and worn as a bracelet, helps educate a child for one year. Necklace, $32, Rafiki, $10, shop.metowe.com.
Gift of TIFF
Surprise a film lover with a gift from TIFF. TIFF provides charitable cultural programming at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in communities across Canada and beyond. Make a donation or purchase a membership (starting at $49 for student/youth). Visit tiff.net.
Help WWF
Adopt a Spirit Bear for $40 and help the World Wide Fund for Nature protect the species. You’ll receive a kit containing a plush bear, adoption certificate, poster and reusable WWF tote bag. Visit shop.wwf.ca.
Angels for Angels
Goods sold by Ten Thousand Villages are made by artisans in marginalized communities worldwide, and every purchase helps those communities. $2 from every purchase of the handcrafted Capiz Angel ornament from the Philippines will help fund Breakfast for Learning, the first national charity focused on nourishing Canadian children. Ornament, $20. Purchase at tenthousandvillages.ca or at selective retail locations across Canada.
LA-RS Bracelets
Modelled after the Cartier love bracelets, these ONEXONE bracelets benefit the onexone.org charity and help feed children a healthy meal. Each set comes with four colours to represent various human races. Join celebrities Chandler Parsons, Rita Ora, Diplo, Marcus Stroman, Hailey Baldwin and others . . . and try the bracelets on for size. $30 at la-rs.org.
Help At-Risk Youth
Until Dec. 31, $5 from the sale of every Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime purchased from Virgin Mobile will go toward the company’s RE*Generation program that helps connect at-risk and homeless youth with training, skills and opportunities for employment. The slimline phone with 1.2 GHz Quad Core processor, long-lasting battery and 5 MP camera is $249 (price varies depending on the plan). Purchase it at Virgin Mobile retail and virginmobile.ca. Virgin Mobile Members can also participate by adding “Change for a Dollar” to their monthly phone bill to donate $1/month to the cause. Members and all Canadians can also text the word REGEN to 30333 to donate $5.