9 Gifts That Keep on Giving This Holiday Season

The

offers nine different ways to get involved and build a more civically engaged life. From

goods and money to

in local and national elections to

your time and talent, there are plenty of ways you can give gifts that don’t cost you anything but kindness and a little time.

This holiday season, we’re offering ideas for nine “gifts” that keep on giving in your community and around the globe, based on the elements of the Civic Circle. Pick one or two, and watch as your contributions start a ripple effect of change.

Donate:

Donate to a cause close to your heart. You can start by looking for organizations that are already doing good work in your community. Or choose an organization like

Points of Light

that makes a global impact with a mission centered on mobilizing social good by working with a

Global Network

of affiliates from around the world.

Listen & Learn: The Young Activist’s Dictionary of Social Justice

No one is too young to start learning about social justice. Inspire the pint-sized activists in your life by giving them this valuable resource to learn about social justice movements and define commonly used terms. The book features a variety of young advocates across movements – from Ruby Bridges to Malala Yousafzai.

Purchase Power: Small Business Gifts & Gift Cards

Supporting small businesses is a fantastic way to make a difference in your community while giving thoughtful gifts. Make a list of several small, local stores in your region and browse their shops to find items for your loved ones. Not sure what to purchase? You can still use your dollar to support small business owners and leave the choosing up to the recipient – purchase a gift card instead.

Service: Send Holidays Cards Military Service Members

Choosing to live a life of service comes with sacrifice, which can often mean being separated from family for long periods. You show your gratitude by sending personalized cards and letters to military heroes who serve in the U.S. and abroad. The Holiday Card Challenge and #cards2connect programs let them know that they are not alone during the winter holiday season and throughout the year.

Social Entrepreneur: 4Ocean Goods

When 4Ocean was founded, they started by making bracelets out of plastic collected from the ocean. Today, the organization has pulled 26,335,566 pounds of trash from the world’s oceans, rivers and coastlines, offering bracelets of all varieties plus footwear, water bottles and other apparel. Make an impact by choosing sustainable fashion that is simultaneously solving a global issue.

Vote: Rock the Vote Goods & Apparel

For the passionate participant in every election – encourage voting with trendy tees, mugs, bags and more from Rock the Vote. This nonprofit organization has registered and turned out millions of young voters on campuses, in communities and online for 25 years. Their online store has a variety of gifts made for everyone from babies to seniors.

Voice: Raise Awareness and End Stereotypes

Use your voice to erase racism, hunger, homelessness or climate change. Be a part of ending harmful stereotypes and raising awareness for these causes by having authentic conversations with friends and family or posting on social media. For example, the United Nations makes it easy to leverage their

social media tools

to reach your social network and #FightRacism. Start your own conversation and be the change you want to see in the world.

Volunteer: A Volunteering Event or Day of Service

What better way to get the whole family or group of friends involved than to encourage volunteering through a day of service? Make a list of some local nonprofit organizations and call around to find out what their needs are, or check out

Points of Light Engage

to find local or virtual volunteer opportunities. From coat drives to toy drives to food drives, many nonprofits are in need of volunteers around the holiday season.

Work: Benefits for Your Employees

If you own a business or manage a team of employees, you have a unique opportunity to provide them with beneficial gifts this holiday season. While you’ll need to keep in mind what you can legally gift your employees, you might consider giving them a holiday bonus, throwing in an extra day off or starting an

employee engagement program

with volunteer time off in 2023. Look at your team’s needs and your business’ budget to determine the best course of action, then extend your gratitude to your hard-working team. They’ll appreciate the recognition.

Are you inspired to give gifts that keep on giving? Once you decide on a gift or two to give this holiday season,

tag us on social media

to share your experience with us. We can’t wait to see all the good you do this year.

3 Ways to Remember Loved Ones Through Civic Acts

June 12 is the birthday of our founder, President George H.W. Bush, and June 8 marks former first lady Barbara Bush’s birthday. While the president, a generous, community-focused and highly influential leader, passed away in 2018, each year we commemorate his birthday and shine a light on his vision of civic engagement by offering key ways you can contribute to your own community.

President Bush believed in the power of many working together to create change and help better the world. He advocated for individuals to unite, knowing that many “points of light” contributing their time, talent and resources had the power to make a massive impact and create a ripple effect that spans the globe.

This year, Points of Light is celebrating the second annual George and Barbara Bush Day of Service to commemorate both of their birthdays and honor their lifelong commitment to public service.

Today we’re offering three ways that you can remember loved ones and honor their legacy through your own acts of civic engagement.

“We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a thousand points of light… we all have something to give.”

— President George H.W. Bush, Founder Of Points Of Light

Volunteer: Host Your Own Day of Service

Whether you choose to organize a food drive on a deceased loved one’s birthday or host a community clean-up on the first day of their favorite season, you can call your fellow community members together to maximize your impact through a day of service.

You might opt to name the event after the name of your loved one or conduct the volunteer opportunity at their favorite place. In these meaningful ways, you can carry on their legacy through encouraging your community to get involved in volunteering.

Donate: Contribute to Their Favorite Cause

Was your loved one an avid bird-watcher? Make a financial donation to a wildlife refuge or conservation society. Were they the top chef in your family? Consider contributing non-perishables to your local food pantry.

Perhaps they were active in volunteering themselves and spent time focusing their time and effort on a particular organization. Reach out to that organization to find out what they need – maybe it’s a children’s hospital looking for volunteers to visit or a shelter for unhoused individuals seeking new or gently used clothing.

Voice: Activate Around a Solution

If your loved one passed away from a specific issue or illness, you might choose to honor their legacy by doing your part to contribute to bringing light to the cause. This could mean using your voice by talking about the issue or petitioning for more support for the cause.

For example, if your loved one passed away from breast cancer, you might post on social media about breast cancer awareness and prevention, as well as encourage donations with a link to a breast cancer research organization. Or you might sign and share a petition for increased breast cancer research funding.

There are so many ways to recognize the people in your life who have had a lasting impact on you and your community. To learn about the many pathways to civic engagement that you can take in their honor today and every day, check out Civic Life Today, our free digital magazine. And for more ways to get involved in your community and shine your light on the world, Points of Light Engage is our database of hundreds of thousands of volunteer opportunities throughout the world, both in-person and virtual.