What would YOU choose to do?

[myfunnybunch]

My mom does not need anything. I have been wracking my brains to come up with a gift idea for her. When I asked her, she said, "You know, I keep thinking about that too....I don't need any more stuff. What if you do something kind for someone else with the gift money, and tell me about it?"

 

Such a fun idea! I've got a couple of ideas, but I'm not sure what I'll do yet.

 

What would you do with $100 to gift or donate to someone who needs it?

[Lawana]

Find a family that is struggling and give $100 cash before Christmas to brighten their day and lighten their load. If you do it anonymously, you may not know exactly how it turns out, but sometimes imagining the reaction is funner than reality.

Edited December 18, 2016 by Lawana

[hornblower]

Foster an elephant at Sheldrick Wildlife in Kenya https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/fostering.asp

 

or donate to the Elephant SAnctuary in Tennessee https://elephants.com/

[maize]

One year we bought a punch pass to a local trampoline gym for a family we knew had been through a really tough year. We left it in a gift bag on their front steps, from secret friends.

 

It was about that price.

Edited December 18, 2016 by maize

[HomeAgain]

I would go to Meals on Wheels.  A lot of their patrons here also sign up for the silver tree - you can adopt a senior.  They usually have simple things on their lists like a robe, new shoes..

Or I'd talk to our local social services office.  They have a room there for the kids to be with their parents in a supervised setting.  They always need new toys and special items.

Or I'd mail a gift cert to our neighbors from the local auto repair shop.  Since the pack of hooligans came through and busted everyone's windshield/slashed tires, not all the folks have been able to have it repaired.

Or I'd look at a way to help the shelter.  The doggies and cats there are lonely and sad.  Toys, towels, beds are always welcome.

Or I'd donate to a farther away cause - Aleppo, Gatlinburg, Heifer International, Fisher House.

 

 

 

[meena]

I would try to tailor toward what is meaningful your mom. For example, my MIL loves kids and is a retired educator, so for her I would adopt a classroom in an area that wasn't well off and buy a mix of practical and fun items and send them with a card and picture from "Ms Lucy". My mom loves animals so I would probably donate to a small animal rescue.

[Anne in CA]

The best Christmas we ever had was when we bought bikes for a whole family who regularly came to our church food bank. It's a long story, they didn't even ask for the bikes but one of the kids had desperately wanted one. Super great. DH and I always consider this our best Christmas. When you find the right thing to do, it'll be great!

[Selkie]

One year, I anonymously gave cash to a family with a child who was seriously ill. Another year, I bought a huge pile of books for a 7 year old girl who loved to read.  She lived with her single dad and they didn't have money for books.

 

Your mom sounds like a wonderful person! Several years ago, I proposed doing the same thing with our extended family.  None of us needs any more stuff and I thought it would be fun to spend the money on someone who really needed it instead, but none of them would go for the idea.  :(  

[Guest]

Pay off someone's lay away purchases or maybe surprise someone in the check out line in the grocery store by paying for their groceries.

[Zinnia]

I have a couple of places that are dear to me--a program where refugee moms learn English and their kids go to preschool, a food basket program though a local school that provides baskets for 15 families a month, and I would love to anonymously pay off library fines.  I'm not sure the logistics of the last one, but how fun would that be?  

 

Also to pick a random family at Kroger the week before Christmas and pay for their entire order.  I think you could probbaly tell a family that would appreciate it (the mom that has a calculator or a worried look or the basics + one small treat).  I'd love to be able to do that.  

[Mom22ns]

Easy for me, because I know a young family that is really struggling. I'd love to have an excuse to help them out again. :)

[fraidycat]

Adopt a small family from Salvation Army for Christmas. When we did it years ago (a group of friends) we provided everything - meal ingredients (small turkey or ham, potatoes, stuffing, side veggie, dessert) + gifts, so you'd need a small family to stay close to $100.

[Cara4497]

Keep your eyes and ears open. Sometimes opportunities come to you.

 

Last December I was at the eye doctor when a very upset woman came in to double check the price of her mother's new glasses thinking they couldn't be THAT expensive and she must have had it wrong. Well, she was wrong...unfortunately they were MORE and there was no way the family could afford it. The woman was devastated. After she left, I told the receptionist that I would like to help. I couldn't cover the whole amount, but we had budgeted for a couple 'angel tree' gifts and I used it for that instead. 

[KarenNC]

Personally, not knowing her causes of choice, I would consider setting up a microloan account through https://www.kiva.org/, so that as that loan is repaid she could choose a new recipient--they do Kiva gift cards in increments of $25. This would be a gift that would be ongoing in helping others and she could choose a new area in which to help each time the loan she makes is repaid.

 

You could buy multiples of the Kiva cards or split up the donation among two or more causes. We are a core group of 4 couples who've been friends for 25+ years and always get together on Christmas Eve. Several years ago we decided as a group that we would do donations instead of giving each other gifts. Ours this year:

1) contributed to a GivingForward fund for a friend (mutual to all of us) who is trying to get funds together for gallbladder surgery--she falls through every crack there is for assistance--surgeon wants half the fee upfront in order to schedule

2) contributed to a GoFundMe fund for the 4 yo daughter of a friend of my father-in-law. The child is undergoing her second round of chemo for Hodgkins's lymphoma and even with insurance and some assistance from St. Judes they are drowning financially because the hospital and oncologist are demanding cash payment upfront for copays.

3) contributed food to a local food pantry through a drive at my husband's office

4) bought feminine hygiene supplies for a local LGBT teen support center through our church

 

Other things we've done in the past have been Heifer Project, local literacy council, pet food/supplies drive, adopt a senior citizen/family/child through a local support agency. 

[myfunnybunch]

Your mom sounds like a wonderful person! Several years ago, I proposed doing the same thing with our extended family. None of us needs any more stuff and I thought it would be fun to spend the money on someone who really needed it instead, but none of them would go for the idea. :(

You know, when I told my sister, she thought it was a fabulous idea. We all have so much more than we need. Being asked what I want for Christmas kind of stresses me out. So maybe this will be that start of a new holiday tradition, who knows? :)

[Mama Geek]

If you know someone is struggling buy them a grocery card or a walmart card so they can buy gifts for their family.

[kiwik]

I would buy grocery gift cards for the local food bank or women's refuge.

[Carrie12345]

My go-to donation gift isn't very creative. It's to the foster care organization my mom works for!  They've always been very active with special events for the kids and foster parents, but their regular funding and received donations (goods and cash) have been going down every year.  All of the staff, including my mom, try to make up for it as much as they can from their own pockets, so I look at it as a way to help the entire organization.  The first time I did it, I included a LONG letter about how proud I was of my mom for everything she's done for us and for continuing to do what she's able for children who aren't as fortunate as we were in that department.

 

One of my kids' co-op teachers gave donations in each of the students' names this year, with a note telling them how they inspired her choice.  For my one daughter, the Fallen Firefighters choice was easy (and much appreciated.) She's a firefighter!  For my other daughter, she wrote that her kind and happy demeanor and warm smile inspired a donation to a homeless veterans organization.  It was incredibly sweet and heartfelt, and she cried while reading each one to the kids.

 

I do think the process of choosing an organization and the genuine expression of feelings behind the choice are what make the gift personal and extra special.

[Miss Mousie]

What a great idea!  (And a great thread.)

 

I'll admit it's both heartwarming and heartbreaking that there are so many different ideas (and so many in need, in so many ways). 

 

I think what I would most want to do is send it to a boardie who's struggling.

 

 

[happypamama]

I love the idea of blessing a struggling family in some way!

 

My grandparents asked their kids and grandkids to do that one year. We donated to a local food bank thst helps get food from local farmers to struggling people.

 

What excites your mom? For mine, it would be something to do with young children. I'd pick a cause or topic near to her heart.

[DawnM]

Every year we make a donation to my husband's father's memorial scholarship fund ($100 per year) instead of a gift for his mom.

 

My parents would want a donation to their mission to help those in need where I grew up.

 

What is your mother's passion?

[alisoncooks]

We did that one year with all our family gifts. We opened up the World Vision catalog and had a great time picking and choosing. The fun part was that many of the gifts came with a small token to represent/remind the recipient what their honorary gift supported.

[Lanny]

Sweet thoughts from your mother.    Find a reputable charity that will give 99% of the money to people/a family who are in desperate shape.

[PeterPan]

We took my MIL out for a pedicure/manicure last year, and she really liked it. 

[Night Elf]

I'm donating cash to my local no-kill humane shelter. They also keep a list on their website of products they need. I think it would be fun to go fill up a cart and take over a bunch of needed items but I don't want to do the driving this year. They aren't really close by.

[Pippen]

I would pay it forward to a public school music organization to use as they saw fit for a student with a need, even though it would only be a small fraction of the group did for our family when we were in the midst of a very costly medical crisis.

[FaithManor]

I would be likely to take it thrift store shopping and buy as many winter coats and snow pants as I could with it and donate to "Coat for Kids". We've got numerous kids in the tri-county area whose parents have been out of work a long time. It never economically recovered here after the housing bubble/banking debacle. Teachers report a number of children who do not have appropriate winter gear, often making due with worn out fleece jackets layered over one another if they own more than one, or coats that they have outgrown so too short, wrists even mid-forearms hanging out, etc.

[Serenade]

Personally, not knowing her causes of choice, I would consider setting up a microloan account through https://www.kiva.org/, so that as that loan is repaid she could choose a new recipient--they do Kiva gift cards in increments of $25. This would be a gift that would be ongoing in helping others and she could choose a new area in which to help each time the loan she makes is repaid.

 

You could buy multiples of the Kiva cards or split up the donation among two or more causes. We are a core group of 4 couples who've been friends for 25+ years and always get together on Christmas Eve. Several years ago we decided as a group that we would do donations instead of giving each other gifts. Ours this year:

I love this idea! I have never heard of this organization before so I am glad you linked it.

[myfunnybunch]

I would be likely to take it thrift store shopping and buy as many winter coats and snow pants as I could with it and donate to "Coat for Kids". We've got numerous kids in the tri-county area whose parents have been out of work a long time. It never economically recovered here after the housing bubble/banking debacle. Teachers report a number of children who do not have appropriate winter gear, often making due with worn out fleece jackets layered over one another if they own more than one, or coats that they have outgrown so too short, wrists even mid-forearms hanging out, etc.

 

A friend of mine works for a family shelter for homeless families and women escaping abusive relationships. They are asking for winter coats and clothing--I think this is what I will do, donate coats and cash to the shelter program.

[Janeway]

I would give it to adult foster kids in transitional care.