Gifts That Matter

Every time I pick up my mail these days, I get a half-dozen pleas from non-profits and charities to send money. Unfortunately for them, it was last year that I had the cushy big-corporation management job. This year is going to be different.

Giving money is where most of our minds go when someone says “charity,” but there are some simple ways to take what you’re already doing and turn it into a gift that will make a difference. If you’re lucky enough to have a cushy corporate job, for instance, see if your employer will match employees gifts (or any part of them). That’s a great way to increase a monetary gift without taking anything more from your own pocket.

Here’s another: Do you give your pets gifts? If your pet is anything like my cats, they’ll end up playing with the ribbon or the box and merely sniff indignantly at their gift. Face it; gifts to your pets are for you, not your pet. Consider donating the money you would spend on Fido to your local animal shelter.

If you haven’t finished shopping, look for shops that support non-profits. Locally, there are half-a-dozen museums with great gift shops. The Dec. 7-13 issue of the Jackson Free Press featured cool stuff from four of them.

Here’s an easy one: Make a commitment to dump change into any of the myriad of pots or collection boxes around town whenever you see one. You probably have a dollar or so in small change at any one time, and I promise you won’t miss it.

Time is a cost-free way to make a difference. At this time of year, folks who can’t get around, whether because of age, disability or incarceration, miss being with family and friends. A visit to a nursing home to sing carols, or just to hold a hand and listen, will go a long, long way to warm your heart and theirs. Other organizations, like Habitat for Humanity, are always looking for folks who can swing a hammer or wield a paintbrush for a few hours—no experience required.

Think about donating the items you no longer need or want. Last year’s fashions or your kids outgrown coats will serve admirably for people who have nothing and no resources to purchase clothing. It’s amazing the other kinds of things that can be donated: everything from used eyeglasses to toys, that old computer serving as a doorstop or even that car you’ll never get around to repairing will be appreciated by someone. Before you take it to the dumpster, check the Internet or Yellow Pages for organizations that will take your unwanted items.

There are ways to give to the future, too. The simplest, and possibly the most needed, is donating blood. My sister and I are both blood donors on a regular basis: it’s fast, safe, painless (really!) and takes only about 20 minutes—and you get a cookie when you’re done. Both of us are universal donors (O negative blood type), which means our blood can be used for nearly anyone. Organ donation is another way to give. Unless you’re ethically or religiously opposed to donating organs, tell the reviewer when you renew your driver’s license that you want to become an organ donor; it’s that simple. Don’t forget to let your family know your intentions, too.

If you’re in the fortunate position to have more than you need this season, consider telling family and friends that you would rather they give a gift to a charity in your name instead of buying a present. Remembering a friend or loved one through a special bequest in their name is also a wonderful way to keep their memory alive in your heart.

Last, but certainly not least, consider making a commitment to a political cause or to the planet. Commit to recycling, for example, walking more and driving less, or buying free-trade items, which ensures that a fair portion of the purchase price goes back to the originator of the product instead of to an anonymous corporation. If there’s a political cause you’ve been complaining about, commit to complain only to the people who can make a difference, such as your city council, your congressional delegates, the mayor or even the president. Your voice really can make a difference, so let’s hear it in 2007.

Peace.

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The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.