Gifts for good: give a present that makes a difference this Christmas

Ireland’s leading charities have a number of clever fundraising plans to deliver immediate assistance to families and individuals struggling with financial difficulties this Christmas. One way we can all help by buying presents and cards from them.

Mary Gamble is the director of fundraising, marketing and communications at Barnardos Ireland and she is passionate about their Christmas Gifts for Good initiative.

“The Gifts for Good Christmas Appeal is a great way to give an alternative present to a dear friend or relative that makes a difference to vulnerable children or impoverished families,” she explains.

“Each Gift for Good purchased will help enhance Barnardos essential services in 56 service locations by delivering food boxes, electricity vouchers and Christmas hampers straight to their doors. The funds raised allow us to respond to a range of individual and often very complex needs in the most practical, efficient and impactful ways possible.”

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Donors receive a special customised Christmas card to pass on to their loved ones, clients or relatives to let them know that a valuable donation has been given in lieu of a present. In this cost-of-living crisis, it is an initiative that makes sense and brings the true message of the season to light.

To unlock one of these presents just go on their website where you can choose from a variety of themed gift cards such as A Good Night Sleep for €18 – it’s a Christmas gift to keep a child warm with pyjamas, socks and slippers for the cold nights ahead. There are also cool School Kit Gifts for €35 with school backpacks filled with all the essentials from crayons, copybooks, pencil cases, lunch boxes and colouring pens.

The Teddy Bear raffle is also a fun way to donate with a chance of winning a teddy. And you can buy Barnardos Christmas cards from their supermarket partner Aldi. Children can make a list and get a personalised Santa’s letter for €5 at barnardos.ie.

“Thanks to gifting ideas like these, deprived children attending our services will be heading to school with the things they need for a positive learning experience,” Gamble adds.

Barnardos shops have lots of Christmas goodies too from vintage clothing to accessories, books, diaries and homewares. They make super presents that will directly benefit those in need in their services and many of them are sustainable gifts. You can donate funds directly through Barnardo’s site to help families to enjoy a peaceful Christmas.

Trócaire also has a number of initiatives and fundraising ideas like their Gift of Love Christmas Campaign. Miriam Donohoe, Head of Communications at Trócaire says there are lots of ways people can make a difference this Christmas.

“Our Gifts of Love are hugely popular with Trócaire supporters. Amid all of the consumerism and spending associated with Christmas they give people the opportunity to buy a meaningful present from as little as €5 that will change the life of somebody in dire need,” says Donohoe.

Since 2000 the Irish public has bought more than one million life-changing Gifts of Love, supporting both Irish and the world’s most vulnerable families.

This is an average of 45,454 gifts a year. People appreciate ethical, sustainable gifts that are meaningful and practical, and which support their critical work around the world, says Donohoe.

“This year we have a range of 23 charity gifts ranging from €5 for a gift of soap to €1,000 for the gift of fixing a water well. Due to the cost-of-living crisis and the devastating famine in the Horn of Africa, we have introduced two new gifts. The first is our winter Essentials Gift €25 which provides warm boots and blankets to Syrian refugees living in freezing conditions in Lebanese refugee camps where Trócaire works,” she explains.

The second is a ‘Family Food Basket’ €35 aimed at supporting families in the Horn of Africa and Somalia, where drought has left hundreds of thousands of people hungry. This gift contains a month’s supply of nutritious food to nurse babies back to health.

Other gifts include dignity packs to help young girls out of period poverty €10 and mental health support for women and children traumatised by the continuing conflict in Gaza €50.

“What people really appreciate is that the gifts are sourced locally in the country it is needed, so the gifts not only improve the lives of the families and communities that receive them, but they also benefit the local businesses and farmers that supply them.”

“Rather than just donating an amount of money people get a say in exactly how their money is spent and how it impacts on people’s lives.”

Gifts can be purchased online at www.trocaire.org/gifts or by calling 1800 408 408. They are also available in Trócaire outlets: Veritas bookstores, Trócaire centres in Maynooth, Cork and Belfast.

Focus Ireland has also a number of rewarding ways to give a gift that matters and raise vital funds for homelessness services. Companies and the public alike can help by Sponsoring a Star on the Focus Ireland Christmas Tree on Dublin’s Grafton Street.

This Christmas will mark the 21st year of the campaign. Each star represents a gift to families during the toughest of times, and since 2001, thousands of stars have helped raise funds for vital homelessness services. There are several levels of Gift Stars to suit every pocket. Corporate supporters can share with their customers how they supported Focus Ireland and this will in turn encourage more like-minded companies to give in a corporate capacity.

Tickets for the Focus Ireland Concert at Christ Church Cathedral have already sold out! However, you also get into the festive spirit by hosting a Christmas Jumper Day to raise funds. People can ask their school or retail outlet to dress up in a Christmas Jumper or decorate a colourful festive jumper with friends and colleagues and get sponsored.

Finally, you can give a gift through the Focus Christmas appeal. Children born into homelessness can spend their most formative years trapped in joyless single rooms with no space to play or learn and grow. Christmas donations can help to change the course of a child’s life with essential items to help them thrive. Visit focusireland.ie to donate and connect to gift ideas or call 01-881 5900.