Gaucho: Savings Inside

This holiday season, it’s important to remember that Christmas is not just about receiving. More importantly it’s about giving, and giving doesn’t constitute gifts to just family and friends.

It can be an extremely rewarding experience to give to someone in need who doesn’t ask for the latest gadget from Apple, but just a chance to go to school, get clean water or have a positive outlook for the future. Isn’t that enough to give you a warm feeling inside?

Why Selfless Gifts?

Because it’s so easy to take for granted the simpler things in life. Christmas is a great time to reflect on all of your own blessings and give what you can to the less fortunate. These gifts are presents of peace, hope, and sustenance for someone in need. In some cases, your gift can mean the difference between life and death.

You can make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate this Christmas. Ideally, you would volunteer at a local charity or cause in your area, but if you are looking for charities that offer something a little different, pull your family together and consider one of these great causes.

1. Adopt A Penguin—

Oceana.org allows you to choose among six cool creatures in  their Adopt-A-Creature programme,  including octopuses, polar bears and even sharks! These animals feel the strain of climate change more than most animals as their habitats are being lost and food supplies decline. Oceana applies your gift to causes such as reducing overfishing and habitat destruction for these animals.

Minimum Donation: $35.00

2. Help Prevent Malaria

MalariaNoMore.org is a great organization for facilitating the fight against malaria through the donation of bed nets. Malaria kills more than 300 children every day and over  1 million each year. Today 40% of the world’s population is still at risk, but these numbers can dramatically change with your simple gift of a lifesaving bed net.

Minimum Donation: $10.00

3. Adopt A Coral Reef

The Nature Conservancy has a great adoption program for rainforests and coral reefs. Choose from forests in Brazil, Africa, Papua New Guinea and more. This is a wonderful gift that’ll get your family passionate about the state of the environment, and the adoption package you receive will serve as a great reminder of this cause.

Minimum Donation: $50.00

4. Gifts That Keep Giving

Heifer International is renown for awesome international donation options. Choose from their gift catalog which includes llamas, honeybees, baskets and even trees. The gifts provide transportation, food from their produce such as milk and honey, and provide a means of income from the sales of their produce. You can even donate to one of Heifer’s international projects in countries like Rwanda and Nepal where donations are used to stop such problems as poverty and illiteracy.

Minimum Donation: $10.00

5. Grant A Wish

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has helped lots of children and persons suffering from illnesses to realize their wishes. There are lots of options to donate; for example you can donate your time to your local Make-A-Wish chapter, you can donate airline miles which you just may not be using, and even fun shopping sprees.

Minimum Donation: $0.00

6. Unwrap With Oxfam—

Oxfam Unwrapped is one of the best places to find lots of options for selfless gifts. Choose a cause that’s close to your heart and see what they have in store. You can give schoolbooks, seeds, HIV education and more. Empower women and children from around the world with your gift – thus empowering yourself.

Minimum Donation: $12.00

7. Defenders of Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife is the oldest science-based, results-oriented conservation group in the U.S. It is devoted to saving endangered species. There are a multitude of adoptable animals and animal inspired gifts. Profits go towards supporting and sustaining disappearing wildlife populations.

Minimum Donation: $5.00

(Bonus) 8. 350

We tried to keep this list to 7 sources of selfless gifts, but the list simply isn’t complete without mentioning 350.

Scientists say that 350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere is the upper level of the safe limit for humanity. Right now, we’re at 387ppm. 350 is a fairly young organization that has rocketed to international involvement as they provide a focus-able, and still achievable, goal. What can you do to help? Sign up and support the cause by buying someone a 350.org t-shirt, some stickers, buttons, etc.

Minimum Donation: $1.49