Gifts That Give Back
11/23/2015 04:57AM ● By Family Features
(Family Features) This holiday season, shoppers can put children first by purchasing gifts that help save and protect children around the world. Through gifts that give back and unique handcrafted items, gift-givers can help children around the world.
The newest offering is UNICEF Kid Power, which allows kids to get active and save lives. With the world’s first wearable-for-good™, available at Target this holiday season in blue, orange and two special “Star Wars: Force for Change” editions in black and white, kids go on missions to learn about new cultures and earn points. Points unlock funding from partners, parents and fans, and funds are used by UNICEF to deliver lifesaving packets of therapeutic food to severely malnourished children around the world. UNICEF Kid Power is made possible through the generous support of Disney, “Star Wars: Force for Change” and Target.
Through a partnership with NOVICA, UNICEF Market offers thousands of handcrafted items that support artisans in countries where UNICEF works. From jewelry to home accents and accessories, each item purchased benefits programs that provide children with basic necessities such as lifesaving nutrition, medicine, education, clean water, emergency relief and more.
Holiday shoppers can also give UNICEF Inspired Gifts, actual life-changing and lifesaving items that can be purchased in honor of a loved one and go directly to help children in need in developing countries. Among the gift options are: blankets; a Super Hero Pack that provides vaccines and mosquito nets; and a Therapeutic Food gift - a “miracle food”, which provides nourishment to 10 malnourished children.
Additional holiday gifts that give back through UNICEF partners include:
IKEA Soft Toys for Education: For every IKEA Soft Toy or children’s book sold in IKEA stores through December 26, 2015, the IKEA Foundation will donate 1 euro (approximately $1.12) to UNICEF and Save the Children’s education projects. This year’s collection features one-of-a-kind soft toys designed by children around the world. Children around the U.S. can also enter the IKEA drawing competition for a chance to design their very own dream toy.
Holiday greeting cards: The winning card in the annual Pier 1 Imports® and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF greeting card contest will be sold exclusively at Pier 1 Imports stores nationwide and on pier1.com during the 2015 holiday season with 100 percent of sales at Pier 1 Imports going to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. In addition, boxed holiday cards can be purchased in the UNICEF Market and through Pier 1 Imports, IKEA, Barnes and Noble, and select Hallmark Gold Crown stores, also with 100 percent of the purchase price of cards purchased at Pier 1 Imports and IKEA stores going directly to support UNICEF programs.
H&M: H&M customers cansupport UNICEF to provide quality education to children living in Myanmar by picking up a special ‘Gift that Gives Back’ gift card at any H&M store from November 5 to December 31. The H&M Conscious Foundation will donate 5% of the total amount uploaded to each gift card.
Be K.I.N.D.: With a contribution of $65, UNICEF can provide a desk and bench for two students through MSNBC’s K.I.N.D.: Kids in Need of Desks. Another option, benefitting girls in Malawi, is a $177 scholarship donation that delivers one year of education, including tuition, room and board, text books, transportation, a school uniform and learning supplies.
Travel for change: Through UNICEF’s Change for Good program on American Airlines, travelers visiting their loved ones this holiday season on select American Airlines international flights can use their spare change to help support UNICEF’s work. For Delta travelers, SkyMiles members can donate their unused frequent flyers miles to the organization for travel in support of lifesaving work for children. To donate miles, visit delta.com/skywish .
