This Christmas, teach your kids about the gift of giving with these unique charitable ideas that benefit non-profits and the less fortunate...
Wondering how best to give back this festive season? As you tick off hefty lists for Christmas gift shopping and scour the stores for present ideas for your little ones, it’s worth remembering that the season of giving extends to the less fortunate, too. Instead of busting your annual Christmas budget and battling it out with the Orchard Road crowds, why not give a charitable donation in your child’s name, or make a contribution to help empower others who don’t have the same opportunities as your family? From buying a goat and chickens for struggling families to being an animal benefactor, these meaningful and charitable presents will teach your children empathy and the value of helping others.
Charitable Christmas gift ideas in Singapore
1. Habitat for Humanity
Home is where the heart is. And for some of us, our most cherished memories of Christmas are made at home. But have you ever wondered what it’s like for those who don’t have a home or live in poor conditions? Habitat for Humanity Singapore is part of an international charity that is dedicated to eradicating poverty housing worldwide. By donating $30 or more (one-time donation or monthly) towards Habitat for Humanity, you make a big difference to a vulnerable elderly or low-income family this Christmas. If you believe in doing rather than donating (or both), how about volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in your unique way? Engage the family in volunteering work and open their eyes to a Christmas that’s all about giving than receiving.
2. Cloop
You have choc a bloc wardrobe, yet only wear a fraction of the outfits staring back at you? Yep, we’ve all been there! Well, maybe it’s time you and the fam got down to brass tacks this Christmas with a thorough sift through all your wearables. Cloop Singapore, a zero-waste advocate for circular fashion, not only has an important message to preach but has a better purpose for your stash of idle outfits and accessories. Cloop collects clean and wearable preloved clothes, curates every piece into categories, and circulates through a swap and resale model. Our team had the pleasure of volunteering at Cloop, where we curated pile-loads of donated clothes, shoes and accessories. And from what we witnessed, here’s our testament without a doubt – one man’s trash can indeed be another man’s treasure! Circular fashion has won us!
3. Be-A-Santa fundraising campaign by Curious Thoughts Giving
The gift of education is invaluable, and every child deserves to have it. How about empowering a lesser privileged child with the gift of education this festive season? This Christmas, Curious Thoughts Giving (CTG), a registered non-profit charitable organization in Singapore that provides free quality literacy and phonics classes to children from less privileged backgrounds, is gearing up for a big surprise for their beneficiaries! It is initiating the Be-A-Santa fundraising campaign to promote the gift of reading and writing by raising funds for children from low-income families. There’s more! They will also organize a book drive for the public to donate used children’s books to build on CTG’s learning kits to gift their beneficiaries. Wow!
4. Endowus Gives Back
Vending machines are prized conveniences for modern-day consumers for their fast and automated features. But in today’s world, how often do you hear of vending machines meant for giving rather than receiving? Let us explain. At the twenty Endowus Gives Back vending machines stationed across the island, you can deposit your $$ towards a good cause rather than purchasing a product. So purposeful and convenient indeed! All you need to do is pick a charity of your choice and donate in sums of $5, $10, $15 or $20 at one of the vending machines or online. Some of the 23 charities you can donate to include, Causes for Animals, Yellow Ribbon Fund and Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO), to name a few. We say giving back to the community couldn’t be easier this Christmas season!
5. Community Chest
Sharing is caring- a famous phrase most of us parents quote to teach our kiddos the importance of sharing. This Christmas take a step further with this important lesson and introduce the kiddos to the world of giving. Community Chest, the philanthropy and engagement arm of NCSS (National Council of Social Service), wants to make giving a part of living this festive season. Give back to the community through donations, volunteering and shopping for a good cause at its new Sharity e-store. A few exciting gifts you can buy from this store for your littlies are the Sharity activity and sticker book and the Sharity canvas tote bag. All proceeds from the Sharity e-store will go towards supporting over 100 social service agencies and more than 200 critical programmes that meet priority needs.
6. Give your helper the gift of education
Where would we be without our right-hand women to help us juggle the kids, home and careers? Our helpers do an amazing job, and we love the idea of being able to gift them something that could make a big difference to their future, like an educational course. One of our faves is Aidha, which provides financial literacy programs including money management, computer courses and entrepreneurial lessons for helpers and lower-income women. You can also help by raising funds in support of the organisation’s life-changing financial literacy and empowerment programs.
7. Lend a helping hand to the less privileged
Since 1988, The Boys’ Brigade has actively brought cheer, joy and hope to the less fortunate by collecting food items through The Boys’ Brigade Share-a-Gift (BBSG) project. BBSG has made several changes to the project; appealing for cash donations via online giving platforms are done now. Anyone keen to donate can also do so via BB PayNow (displayed in 145 FairPrice stores across the island) and at AXS stations. Cash donations will be used to purchase NTUC FairPrice vouchers for those in need, as well as specific in-demand items. Beyond contributing a monetary donation, you can go above and beyond by personally delivering the vouchers and food hampers. The kids can help, too!
8. Buy “Singapore Sisters” and support H.O.M.E
If you’re looking for a Christmas gift that’s not only gorgeous but gives back too, then check out Singapore Sisters by family photographer, Hayley Durack. Singapore Sisters is Hayley’s tribute to our household wonder women: AKA our helpers. And with every purchase of this stunning photography-led book, all proceeds will go to H.O.M.E, an amazing charity that supports Foreign Workers in distress. You can order your copy online for just $65, or buy two for $110.
9. Help supply clean water to struggling communities
Did you know: unsafe water contributes to more child deaths per year than AIDS and malaria combined? While we give little thought to our constant supplies of clean water, millions of families – including young children – are forced to walk many miles each day for water that will be far from clean and is likely to make them sick. The good news is, World Vision reaches a new person with clean water every 30 seconds. But a gift of $75 will help train water committees to maintain the wells in their communities – sounds like money well spent to us!
10. Foster an orangutan
According to wildlife organisations and monitoring groups, orangutans are a highly endangered species. The constant destruction of rainforests for the establishment of palm oil plantations is the main reason for this – it’s also the cause of the terrible haze we get in Singapore yearly! Aside from boycotting products using unsustainably produced palm oil, you can do your part to help save orangutans – a keystone species in tropical rainforest habitats – by being a foster parent with the Orangutan Foundation. For $100 a year, you can help buy food, medicine and care for the orangutan babies. In return, you’ll receive an adoption certificate, a photo and biography of your foster orangutan. You’ll be sent an update every six months so you know how your little friend is doing!
11. Provide job training and skillsets for women
Empowering our own daughters is very important to us, and we love the idea of giving the gift of career training to women who are struggling to support their children. Donations will be used to help women take their step towards financial independence by applying for jobs, going for interviews, and availing training and curriculum.
12. Make a donation to the Cat Welfare Society
If your child loves visiting Singapore’s cat cafes, this is the purr-fect gift. When Cat Welfare Society first started, 13,000 stray cats were euthanised because of the population explosion caused by too many cats going un-neutered. Cat Welfare works towards sterilising community cats as a measure to reduce the number of strays breeding. Your donation will be extremely valuable to help this fantastic initiative.
13. Provide medical care to the vulnerable
What better charitable gift could you give than to support the world’s healthcare system? Your donation can help healthcare workers with training, purchasing of equipment, and support them in delivering emergency healthcare.
14. Be an animal benefactor to distressed animals at ACRES
Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) is focused on tackling crimes against wildlife. Not only does it promote love for all things furry, slimy, feathery and scaly, but it raises awareness about animal exploitation, too. In order to rescue and rehabilitate animals, the organisation requires funds that the public can choose to contribute in one of two ways: either a one-off donation or monthly contributions. You can also become an animal benefactor and help distressed animals. How? All you need to do is contribute just $1 per day or $30 per month, which will help our animal friends lead happier and healthier lives. Donations are used to cover full physical check-ups, medication and transportation costs when it is time to release the animal back into the wild.
15. Sponsor a four-legged friend
Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket rescues and cares for thousands of dogs every year. But sadly, not all of its residents end up with a forever home. For some dogs, cruelty and abandonment have lifelong impacts and prevent them from finding a family to live with. However, with your sponsorship donations, Soi Dog guarantees that these special needs furballs will have a safe and happy life at the shelter. Soi Dog treats every animal in its care equally whether sponsored or not, so it should be noted that your gift will be used to help all the dogs, including the one you have chosen to sponsor.
16. Buy nine ducks for families in Bangladesh
Now here’s a Christmas gift that you won’t have to wrap! For a small $ amount, give Bangladeshi families in impoverished conditions a gift they’ll never forget: nine ducks and training. The ducks can produce eggs, ducklings, down feathers and even fertiliser, all of which can offer a reliable source of income for the families. Plus, they’ll be provided with farming training and kids will be getting plenty of protein from the duck eggs. Win-win!
17. Christmas Kettling – Courage to care
While we may be making huge plans for our Christmas festivities, there are many people and families around us who struggle to get through each day. Christmas Kettling, organised by Salvation Army, aims to help care for vulnerable children, underprivileged children, frail elderly and isolated migrant workers. By donating a minimal amount of S$15 or more, you and the family will make a world of difference to one lucky benefactor.
18. Gift food, toiletries or toys to help families in need
Food From The Heart (FFTH) is a non-profit charity that feeds the hungry through its food distribution program. Established in February 2003 after Singapore-based Austrian couple Henry and Christine Laimer read a report about bakeries discarding unsold bread, they decided to start an initiative to channel that waste into good by distributing it to those in need. This has grown exponentially to not only include the food distribution programme, but also to deliver toys to disadvantaged children, too. Help out by gifting either cash donations, non-perishable food items, clean toys in good working condition and toiletries.
19. Empower people with disabilities
Help people with disabilities achieve equal status in society by making a contribution to The Disabled People’s Association. This non-profit, cross-disability organisation aims to be the voice of all people with disabilities. They help implement policies that encourage better social integration and create awareness here in Singapore. Your donations will help fund DPA’s research and public speaking initiatives, plus help towards costs involved at inclusion training workshops.
20. Purchase some charity gift Christmas cards
Help transform the lives of those who live in poverty by purchasing charity gift cards this Christmas from Oxfam. Oxfam is an international confederation that fights inequality to beat poverty together. Not only are its Christmas cards cute, but they are also sure to make you chuckle! Plus, you can purchase illustrated cards that kill two birds with one stone: the kiddos can colour them in, and you’ll be giving the gift of clean water to someone in need.
21. Reconcile inmates with their loved ones
Prisoners and inmates are another segment of the Singapore society that’s often forgotten about and ostracised. Being locked away and separated from their loved ones can take a toll on these humans. The Angel Tree Project, a collaboration between 70×7 and Prisoner Fellowship Singapore, personally delivers handwritten letters by inmates to their family members. Through this endeavour, it hopes to spread some Christmas cheer to everyone. Your contribution can sponsor gifts and help dispatch the letters to the families.
Before you donate… be an informed giver
To make sure your donation will be effectively used, read the tips below on how to be an informed giver:
1. Do your homework
Research the nonprofit of your choice. Verify if the charity is legitimate by asking for documentation. For Singapore charities, check out SG Gives, The Charity Portal or The National Council of Social Services. Find out as much information as you can. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions, like how much of your money goes directly to the needy and how much is used for marketing.
2. Test communication channels
Make sure that the charity lists their phone number or email address. Try to send an email to find out how responsive they are. In order to be effective, a nonprofit organisation must be easily contactable to answer any questions donors may have about their investments.
3. Be cautious about sharing personal or financial info
When writing a cheque for donations, never make it payable to an individual. Rather, it should be made directly to the organisation.
4. Don’t forget you have the right to say no
Give generously if you can. But if you’re uncomfortable or uncertain, don’t be afraid to say no. You can and should ask more information, and take your time to make a decision.
Merry Christmas, you lovely, generous folk!