Creative Ways to Give This Season
Looking for new ways to make an impact this year? World Renew’s Gift Catalog lets you turn your generosity into something tangible—like a chicken that provides eggs and extra income or a handwashing station that helps families stay healthy. Every item you give directly supports families experiencing poverty around the world.
If you’re looking to multiply your impact beyond just a single gift, consider some unique ideas to make your giving even more meaningful. Whether you’re shopping as an individual, a family, or part of a church or school group, there are countless ways to share hope through the Gift Catalog. Here are a few inspiring ideas to spark your generosity and creativity this season.
Celebrate a milestone
The Gift Catalog is a unique way to celebrate special milestones like birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries. When Nigel and Heather Broersma were planning their wedding, they had a difficult time deciding on favors for their guests—until they recalled that Nigel’s grandparents and parents had been donating items from World Renew’s Gift Catalog on behalf of each family member every year. The couple realized that doing the same for their guests was a great idea for wedding favors.
Nigel and Heather enjoyed selecting personalized gifts for their friends and family, like latrines for Heather’s uncles in honor of the family’s rustic cottage with an outhouse or bicycles for both of their fathers who love cycling. Nigel shares, “We had so much fun preparing them and customizing each for guests all while knowing nothing would end up in the landfill, nothing would be a waste of money, and at the end of the day, it was a great opportunity to bless others—something that we value so much as a couple. It made our wedding day even more special!”
Play a game
A game can be a fun and interactive way to help decide which Gift Catalog items to purchase. One Christmas, Dorothy DeRuiter and her family determined how to give by playing the mystery string challenge game, attaching paper plates with various dollar amounts to strings and taking turns pulling one of the strings through a hole in a cup. The dollar amounts corresponded with the cost of items in the Gift Catalog.
Thanks to the game, the family purchased several gifts, including chickens, ducks, goats, rabbits, a beehive, and a nutrition kit for children. Some of the family members had decided to pool their money together to choose gifts. “This was a fun way for the grandkids to pick what they wanted to ‘buy’ from the list for those in need,” Dorothy shares. “I just wanted my grandchildren to understand the true meaning of Christmas—giving to others.”
Plan a class (or group) fundraiser
Giving through the Gift Catalog makes for a meaningful classroom activity. After listening to a presentation from a World Renew representative, a class of sixth graders at Brantford (Ont.) Christian School were motivated to raise money to purchase chickens through the Gift Catalog. “The students chose chickens because for only a few dollars, they could provide a healthy diet for a family in need,” says Jennifer Dreise, who teaches sixth and seventh grade at Brantford. “The gift would also allow [families] to sell the eggs to provide for other items they may need.”
The students created a plan to raise funds by doing chores, chopping firewood, baking and selling items, or working with a grandparent. Throughout the fundraiser, the students could visualize their progress on a small Christmas tree in the classroom. “Each time a chicken was paid for, we placed an egg ornament on the tree as a visual of how we are helping people in need,” Jennifer says.
No matter how you choose to give, every item purchased through World Renew’s Gift Catalog brings lasting hope where it’s needed most. This season, let your generosity be that hope for families around the world.
Creative Ways to Give This Season
Looking for new ways to make an impact this year? World Renew’s Gift Catalog lets you turn your generosity into something tangible—like a chicken that provides eggs and extra income or a handwashing station that helps families stay healthy. Every item you give directly supports families experiencing poverty around the world.
If you’re looking to multiply your impact beyond just a single gift, consider some unique ideas to make your giving even more meaningful. Whether you’re shopping as an individual, a family, or part of a church or school group, there are countless ways to share hope through the Gift Catalog. Here are a few inspiring ideas to spark your generosity and creativity this season.
Celebrate a milestone
The Gift Catalog is a unique way to celebrate special milestones like birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries. When Nigel and Heather Broersma were planning their wedding, they had a difficult time deciding on favors for their guests—until they recalled that Nigel’s grandparents and parents had been donating items from World Renew’s Gift Catalog on behalf of each family member every year. The couple realized that doing the same for their guests was a great idea for wedding favors.
Nigel and Heather enjoyed selecting personalized gifts for their friends and family, like latrines for Heather’s uncles in honor of the family’s rustic cottage with an outhouse or bicycles for both of their fathers who love cycling. Nigel shares, “We had so much fun preparing them and customizing each for guests all while knowing nothing would end up in the landfill, nothing would be a waste of money, and at the end of the day, it was a great opportunity to bless others—something that we value so much as a couple. It made our wedding day even more special!”
Play a game
A game can be a fun and interactive way to help decide which Gift Catalog items to purchase. One Christmas, Dorothy DeRuiter and her family determined how to give by playing the mystery string challenge game, attaching paper plates with various dollar amounts to strings and taking turns pulling one of the strings through a hole in a cup. The dollar amounts corresponded with the cost of items in the Gift Catalog.
Thanks to the game, the family purchased several gifts, including chickens, ducks, goats, rabbits, a beehive, and a nutrition kit for children. Some of the family members had decided to pool their money together to choose gifts. “This was a fun way for the grandkids to pick what they wanted to ‘buy’ from the list for those in need,” Dorothy shares. “I just wanted my grandchildren to understand the true meaning of Christmas—giving to others.”
Plan a class (or group) fundraiser
Giving through the Gift Catalog makes for a meaningful classroom activity. After listening to a presentation from a World Renew representative, a class of sixth graders at Brantford (Ont.) Christian School were motivated to raise money to purchase chickens through the Gift Catalog. “The students chose chickens because for only a few dollars, they could provide a healthy diet for a family in need,” says Jennifer Dreise, who teaches sixth and seventh grade at Brantford. “The gift would also allow [families] to sell the eggs to provide for other items they may need.”
The students created a plan to raise funds by doing chores, chopping firewood, baking and selling items, or working with a grandparent. Throughout the fundraiser, the students could visualize their progress on a small Christmas tree in the classroom. “Each time a chicken was paid for, we placed an egg ornament on the tree as a visual of how we are helping people in need,” Dreise says.
No matter how you choose to give, every item purchased through World Renew’s Gift Catalog brings lasting hope where it’s needed most. This season, let your generosity be that hope for families around the world.