Good Gifts Guide 2010

2010 Good Gifts Guide:

Creating more meaningful gift-giving at Christmas

ourcommunity.com.au

2010 Good Gifts Guide Don’t want to give yet another unwanted, unnecessary gift?

This year, give a good gift!

Use the Good Gifts Guide to help create more meaningful gift-giving this Christmas.

THE GOOD GIFTS GUIDE has been produced as part of GiveNow Week 2010 – November 29 to December 5: www.givenowweek.com.au GiveNow Week takes place around the country during December each year to focus attention on the many ways that individuals, families, businesses and groups can make a difference to their community in the lead-up to Christmas and beyond.

It’s about helping people take some small, simple steps that open the way for a better supported, more inclusive, more vibrant community – not just during the Christmas period, but all year long as well.

GiveNow Week is an initiative of the Our Community Foundation and is supported by Westpac bank.

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ourcommunity.com.au ourcommunity.com.au Give more, give smarter, give better... give now!

Merchandise/General Gifts: Proceeds go to good causes MIRABEL FOUNDATION has a range of beautiful cookbooks and coffee table books for sale, as well as some Mirabel t-shirts, Christmas cards and other goodies. www.mirabelfoundation.org.au/retailtherapy PEOPLE AND PLANET have a Social Justice & Environment Diary ($21.95) & Calendar ($24.95) for sale featuring extraordinary images of people and places with short stories about some of largely unseen social and environmental challenges. www.peopleandplanet.org.au ASYLUM SEEKER RESOURCE CENTRE ASRC has a range of delicious gifts, from Turkish delight and exotic spices to organic chocolate. They’re also selling beautiful calendars, candles, aprons and more. www.asrc.org.au ANIMALS AUSTRALIA have a gift shop selling t-shirts, natural soy candles, hampers, symbolic adoption plush toys, bags and books. All proceeds go directly to Animals Australia’s campaigns to expose and fight animal cruelty. https://animalsaustralia. qnetau.com/support/merchandise.php MATER FOUNDATION Purchase Miracle MaX merchandise and support babies and children at Mater hospitals in Brisbane. Includes soft and cuddly plush toys, key rings etc. www.materfoundation.org.au/shop.aspx CHICKS IN PINK sell “feel good” fashion that promotes and supports breast cancer awareness with funds raised directed to breast cancer care and research at Mater hospitals in Brisbane. www.chicksinpink. com//shop/index.cfm?

SPINAL INJURIES ASSOCIATION is selling beautiful cards by talented artists who paint by holding a brush between their teeth, due to spinal cord injury. Packs of 12 are $11.95. www.spinal.com.au/how-to-help/buymerchandise/ ANIMAL AID sell a range of chrismas cards, branded merchandise, collars and leads. www.animalaid.org.au

Mirabel Foundation: Hamper $50

People & Planet: Calendar $24.95

ASRC: Lighthouse Mint & High Chai teas $12.95

Animals Australia: Deluxe Pamper Gift Pack $66

Mater Foundation: Evening MaX Key Ring $3

VILLA MARIA have a 2011 art calendar full of artwork by the people the organisation supports, as well as staff and volunteers for just $20. www.villamaria.com.au/supportus/merchandise.html LANGRI TANGPA CENTRE is selling prayer flags, Buddhist stickers and decals, Buddhist jigsaw puzzles, smokeless incense and Malas to support the centre. For more information go to www.langritangpa.org.au/pages_ html/shop/shopping_index.htm DCH ANIMAL ADOPTIONS offer 2011 Wall Calendars for $15 – featuring rescued dogs, cats and horses. There are also pet bowls, frisbees and many other items, with all proceeds going towards animal rescue work. www.dchrescue.com/cart/ FARESHARE provides free nutritious meals to the homeless using donated food not needed by markets, caterers and retailers.

Relish Cookbooks are $15.00 and FareShare aprons are $25.00. www.fareshare.net.au/ support.php?WEBYEP_DI=6 THE LOST DOGS HOME is encouraging people to adopt an animal, donate pet food to the home or purchase cards, notepads, bumper stickers and more from their online store. http://shop.dogshome.com

Villa Maria: 2011 art calendar $20

Lost Dog’s Home: “Little Buckley” Toy $19.95

Orphfund: 100% Cotton Scarf $22

BIBULMUN TRACK FOUNDATION has walking guides, day packs, drink bottles and sun hats to support the foundation’s work to sustaining the much-loved walking trail. www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/Products. aspx ORPHFUND has a unique range of products available for Christmas presents, including stunning photo blocks, scarves, wine and wallets. www.orphfund.org/store AUSTRALIAN MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (AMCS) The organisation sells a range of marine-themed merchandise including 2011 calendars, jewellery, t-shirts, key rings and art at its online store: www.amcs.org.au/Product.asp?active_ page_id=57 RSPCA VICTORIA has a selection of gifts for pets and pet owners, including a range of RSPCA branded merchandise such as Christmas pudding, cards, calendars, diaries, apparel and lots more. www.shop.rspcavic.org.au

AMCS: “Sharkwater” DVD $24.95

RSPCA: Christmas Pudding made with free-range eggs $39

BLESSED-LIFE is selling a range of cute handmade toys, scarves, bowls, bags and more. By purchasing these items you are directly contributing to the empowerment of women through increasing the demand for their fairly traded products and enabling them to have a secure income. www.blessed-life.com/estore

Blessed-Life: Rainbow Felt Ball Bag $30

McAuley Community Services for Women: Sterling Silver Bracelet ‘COURAGE’ or ‘BELIEVE’ $60 each $100 set

SARAH HILT FOUNDATION Jewellers Meege-Louise and Orintia have designed a necklace for the Sarah Hilt Foundation. Each necklace comes with a gift card showing you’ve helped a young lady beat the odds and live a full life. www.givenow.com. au/givenowweek/files/sarahhilt.pdf MCAULEY COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR WOMEN is selling beautiful sterling silver bracelets with “Courage and “Believe” engraved designs. The proceeds of the bracelet will go towards giving women and children in crisis a chance to create a positive future. www.givenow.com.au/ givenowweek/files/mcauley.pdf MEKHALA HOUSE has a 2011 calendar with beautiful images of Cambodia taken by the children of Mekhala House www.givenow. com.au/givenowweek/files/fdcc.pdf

Animal Liberation QLD: “Be kind to animals” t-shirt $28

ANTar: Original soundtrack from the movie “Samson and Delilah” $30

The Big Issue 12 months/ 25 issues $155

ANIMAL LIBERATION QLD are selling a large range of t-shirts, badges, stickers and toys: www.animalliberationqld.org.au/ Compassionate_Shopping.htm Christmas cards are also available: www.givenow.com. au/givenowweek/files/alq.pdf ANTaR produces cards where the sale of the cards financially supports ANTaR and a particular community of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artists. This year ANTaR is showcasing the artwork of Papulankutja Artists, Blackstone. www.antar.org.au/shop THE AUSTRALIAN LITERACY & NUMERACY FOUNDATION have greeting cards using images of the youth participating in award-winning literacy programs in the Northern Territory. The cards are $50 for a pack of five. www.alnf.org/shop/cards.php THE BIG ISSUE - THE WOMEN’S SUBSCRIPTION ENTERPRISE. Give a yearly subscription to The Big Issue magazine for $155 and you’ll be providing homeless and disadvantaged women with paid work in a safe, secure and rewarding environment. www.isubscribe.com.au/bigissue/

Community Development Gifts: Give a unique gift on behalf of your loved ones to causes you know they would support BOOTS FOR ALL For just $5 you can help Boots for All get a pair of footy boots to a disadvantaged child or adult across Australia to ensure they don’t miss out on playing footy. www.bootsforall.org.au FAMILY LIFE MINISTRIES Help hungry, undernourished families in the Philippines by donating to provide a pig or carabao through Family Life Ministries. www.familylife.org.au ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS Help to build a brighter future for disadvantaged villagers. Your gift will support the work of Engineers Without Borders in Australia and overseas by providing tools, concrete slabs, sanitation facilities, water, solar panels and more for those in need. www.ewb.org.au/shop SWAGS FOR HOMELESS Swags for Homeless aims to provide one swag for every rough sleeping homeless man, woman and child in Australia. Help them achieve this by buying a backpack bed, blankets or toothbrushes for a homeless person this Christmas. www.charity.org.au/c/256226/1/buy-for-homeless.html ALOLA AUSTRALIA Buy an Alola Christmas Gift Certificate and for $25 support their maternal and child health program, for $50 provide tools, materials and support to Timorese women, or for $75 sponsor a young Timorese student’s education for 12 months. www.alolafoundation.org/general.php?pageID=51 TEAR AUSTRALIA Buy a toilet for a friend in Toowoomba and transform the health of a family in Tanzania. With TEAR’s Useful Gift Catalogue, we’re all connected: it’s six degrees of sanitation. www.usefulgifts.org

Swags for the Homeless Backpack Bed $68

Swags for the Homeless 50 x Quality toothbrushes for homeless people $49.90

Alola Australia Weekly student metcard $14

Alola Australia New school shoes for 2 kids $100.00

OXFAM Buy a buffalo, build a boat or purchase some manure for your friends!

Donations help support the Oxfam programs that your gift represents, and you’ll get to give a card to the recipient explaining how their special gift is helping others. Go to www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au WORLD VISION AUSTRALIA By purchasing a Christmas gift from the World Vision Smiles catalogue on behalf of a friend or loved one, you’ll not only bring them joy, but make a lasting difference in the lives of children, families and communities who need it the most. $15 will buy school materials, while $125 will train a teacher. http://trans.worldvision.com.au/Smiles MERCY SHIPS Sponsor specific surgeries to be carried out free on the hospital ship for the forgotten poor of West Africa. www.mercyships.org.au PARTNERS RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA: Support Partner’s relief work in Burma by purchasing one of their “Love Campaign” gifts. The gift of a duckling, a pair of boots, hygiene packs and more can help improve the lives of the people of Burma. www.partnersworld.org.au

Oxfam: buy loads of manure for families in Sri Lanka, and help grow their crops without the need for chemical fertiliser $15

Oxfam: help teach villagers in Cambodia to read and write, which will totally transform their lives and those of their children $40

Oxfam: help prevent disease and build latrines, a pump well and a water system in remote village schools in Cambodia $98

World Vision: Malaria needlessly kills 3,000 children every day.

Your gift of a repellenttreated mosquito net can protect a child from deadly mosquitoes $15

World Vision: Your gift will go towards agriculture and environment work to help communities grow food for families and restore their environments $45

World Vision: Your gift will go towards family planning information, training for midwives, as well as breastfeeding and nutrition education for new mums $98

Give a Gift to the Planet: Gifts that benefit environmental causes LANDCARE QUEENSLAND Landcare is selling a range of environmental books to support their work in education, awareness and on-ground activities in Queensland. http://www.landcare.org.au/BOOKSHOP.htm RAINFOREST RESCUE Rainforest Rescue is selling beautiful Gift Cards which offer a range of options for you to support their work through your purchase, including planting and restoration projects in The Daintree, Ecuador and Indonesia. http://shop.rainforestrescue.org.au DOLPHIN RESEARCH INSTITUTE Adopt-A-Dolphin as a gift for your loved one for $98. This gift will help the institute introduce and enforce new laws to protect dolphins and to provide nearly 37 opportunities for young scientists. www.dolphinresearch.org.au/adopt.php MARINE DISCOVERY CENTRE Six Storybooks have been developed through real-life experiences of creatures living in the discovery centre aquaria. Marine Posters also available. www.marinediscoverycentre.com.au/Marine_Discovery/ forsale/ForSale.html WETLANDCARE AUSTRALIA (WCA) Are selling beautiful cards featuring winning art and photography from the WetlandCare Australia National Art Competition 2009. All proceeds from card sales enable WCA to protect and restore wetlands throughout Australia, so your purchases help keep wetlands alive. www.wetlandcare.com.au/shop/default.asp WILDLIFE VICTORIA Official Wildlife Victoria 2011 Calendar and Christmas Cards are available and are a perfect Christmas present to show your support for the life saving work the organisation’s dedicated volunteers do each day to rescue and rehabilitate our wildlife. www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/merchandise.html FRIENDS OF THE EARTH Friends of the Earth (FoE) Australia is a federation of independent local groups working for a socially equitable and environmentally sustainable future. A wide range of environmentally and socially responsible gifts are available with profits supporting environmental justice and indigenous land rights http://foe.org.au/shop/

DON’T BIN IT, DONATE IT! Thinking of buying a new TV, computer or other electronic gadget this Christmas? What are you doing with your old one? Don’t just throw it away! Give it to a community group who can pass it on to someone in need or recycle it into something new. Find out how to donate it at www.givenow.com.au/otherways/electricals

WILDLIFE PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF QLD Adopt a Quoll for a special someone as a Christmas present. Funds raised go towards conservation of and research into the endangered quoll. www.wildlife.org.au/support/adoptaquoll.html WIRES WIRES is the largest wildlife rescue organisation in Australia and is selling Christmas cards for $12 per 10 pack and 2011 Calendars for $16.

All funds used to rehabilitate and preserve Australian wildlife and inspire others to do the same. www.wires.org.au/component/content/article/77.html GREENPEACE The Greenpeace giftshop is packed with remarkable presents that can help change the world. By giving a special gift from our catalogue, you are giving someone the power to make a difference. Release a turtle from a fishnet for $50 or protect one paradise forest tree for $30. www.greenpeacegiving.org.au WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE Adopt a tiger, turtle, panda or orangutan for a friend or family member to help WWF protect these species. Adoptions include a cuddly toy and adoption papers http://onlineshop.wwf.org.au/endangered_species_adoption/cat140

WWF: Premium Tiger Animal Adoption Package.

Your adoption will help the WWF Tiger Program which works with local communities, governments and experts to provide a brighter future for tigers in the wild through monitoring populations, restoring their habitats and strengthening anti-poaching efforts. $70 Greenpeace: Protection for one Paradise Forest tree.

The Paradise Forests of South-East Asia and the Pacific are under threat from rampant deforestation. This gift will help save one of those trees for future generations. $30 Dolphin Reseach Institute: Adopt a Dolphin. Adopt a dolphin for a loved one as a special and effective way to protect Australia’s dolphins. Includes a personalised certificate, member card, 2 gift cards and a member book. $98

Wildlife Victoria ‘Hope’ by Aaron Burfield.

A3 Prints $39.95 Lifesize Prints $395.00

Friends of the Earth: Hughie Water Saving Sink Device.

Made from 100% recycled plastic.Australian made and owned. $24.95

Sponsorship and Support: Cash gifts to good causes STREETSMART has a Christmas gift program aimed at assisting women and children who are made homeless through domestic violence. Help buy books/educational supplies, fund art therapy for young children or fill a ‘welcome pack’ at a refuge with essential items and some hope. www.givenow.com.au/streetsmartaustralia DOWN SYNDROME VICTORIA encourage a gift of $30 to provide support for new parents of a child with Down syndrome. New baby gift packs, resource materials, new parent information packs, personal visits and peer support functions can make all the difference for new families. www.givenow.com.au/dsavxmasappeal HUTT STREET CENTRE Give the gift of a meal – $350 provides breakfast and lunch to 200 homeless people, give the gift of warmth – $50 will provide a swag for someone sleeping rough, or help put a gift under the tree for every person who seeks the organisation’s care this Christmas with a gift amount of your choice. www.huttstcentre.org.au EAST WEST OVERSEAS AID FOUNDATION have Christmas gift vouchers of $25, $50 or $100, as well as a Day Sponsorship package, which covers the entire daily running costs of the Uluru Children’s Home and the Uluru Health Care Centre in rural South India. A donation is guaranteed to make a difference in the areas of health and education in that locality. www.givenow.com.au/eastwestoverseasaid ASSISTANCE DOGS AUSTRALIA donors who subscribe to the Sponsor a Super Puppy program are assigned to a litter of pups to support. Support ranges from as little as $20 per month (Guardian) to more than $60 per month (Gold). www.assistancedogs.org.au/sponsor.php GALLIPOLI MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION allows you to sponsor the development of a personalised vaccine for a cancer patient for $5000; purchasers are listed on the Honour Board in Greenslopes Private Hospital. www.givenow.com.au/gallipoliresearchfoundation

Caritas Australia: Gift of Life Priced between $20 and $200

Hutt Street Centre: Provide a “park to home” starter pack $100 Hutt Street Centre: Provide breakfast and lunch for 200 people $350

Humane Society International: Save a Shark for a loved one $25

Assistance Dogs Australia: Buy a chew toy for a new puppy in training $32

HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL Support the Humane Society by donating to save a shark ($25), fight against factory farming ($60), provide food for lions and large cats in sanctuaries ($100) or help rescue gorillas ($150). www.hsi.org.au/shop/ CARITAS AUSTRALIA Choose from six Gifts of Life – Peace, Food Security, Health, Water, Education and Disaster Response, and make a real difference to the lives of the most marginalised people around the world. Each insert doubles as a Christmas tree ornament. www.caritas.org.au/globalgifts BENDIGO ANIMAL WELFARE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES “Buy a Brick” this Christmas and help Bendigo Animal Welfare and Community Services build their new animal shelter. Bricks cost from $10 and include an engraved plaque that can be in honour of or memory of a family member or pet. www.bawcs.org.au SAVE-A-DOG SCHEME Help a rescued cat or dog by contributing towards their vet bills.

Donate full or part-vet costs and dedicate your donation to someone special. www.saveadog.org.au/help/special_needs.asp EDGAR’S MISSION Sponsor a rescued farm animal through the Best Buddy Program for a loved one. You will receive a welcome pack and quarterly email updates about your buddy at Edgar’s Mission. Your animal buddy can be visited at Edgar’s Mission any time. www.edgarsmission.org.au/BestBuddy.htm LIFE CRY COMMUNITY INC Donate money to help host a Christmas banquet for the homeless and those in extreme need in the City of Geelong. www.givenow.com.au/lifecrycommunityinc

Christmas Cards: Spread Christmas cheer and support a community group THE CHRISTMAS GIVING CARDS Our Community along with Australia Post is selling Christmas Giving Cards that support community groups of the purchaser’s choice. The cards cost $3 each, including envelope and stamp. $1 from each card sold go to a community group of your choice! Support your local school, kindergarten, community group, or any group you choose: www.givenow.com.au/givingcards

Give Money: GIVENOW.COM.AU More than 1700 great causes are listed on this secure site. Browse for a cause your loved one will love – by location or interest area. A notification email will be sent to the recipient to inform them of the gift made in their name. www.givenow.com.au

Other Good Gift Ideas: TOYS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THOSE IN NEED Variety is hosting a toy appeal with all toys going to SHINE for Kids (making Christmas a happier time for children whose parent/s are incarcerated.) www.simplygiving.com.au/variety DONATE BLOOD Give the gift of life by donating blood. www.donateblood.com.au BECOME AN ORGAN DONOR Sign up to save a life. Find out how at www.givenow.com.au/otherways/organdonor VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME Many community groups need an extra hand around the holiday period delivering hampers, preparing meals etc. Find out more about volunteering at www.givenow.com.au/otherways/time GIVE SHARES ShareGift Australia can help people put their small parcels of shares to good use by converting them into donations for good causes in Australia.

For more information go to www.sharegiftaustralia.org.au GIFT WRAPPING Myer gift wrapping services raise funds for Vision Australia GIVE BLANKETS, CLOTHES, FURNITURE, LAND, COMPUTERS, BIKES, MOBILE PHONES, CORKS www.givenow.com.au/otherways

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