Gifts That Give Back

While the idea may not seem new-individual donors have given gifts of charity in the name of a loved one for years-what is new is the variety of online and catalog charitable gifts there are to choose from.

Why the trend? Why now? It could be timing. "These days, there's a lot of bad news out there," said Meredith Landis, marketing associate for Global Giving.com. "With one global emergency after the next, people have a greater desire to do something about it. It may sound like a cliché, but alternative gifts make the world better. They empower people to make a difference and share that feeling with someone else."

The trend is getting so much attention that the Case Foundation-created by AOL co-founder Steve Case and his wife Jean in 1997-devoted an entire section of its Web site to the topic, casefoundation.org/holiday.

• UniversalGiving.org, which has a selection of gift packages you can send in someone else's name; and

• NetworkforGood.org, a leading online charitable donation site.

The idea has proliferated among retail stores and online charitable shopping sites, such as GreaterGood.com and iGive.com, as well. These and other sites give consumers a chance to do their everyday shopping while getting that warm and fuzzy philanthropic feeling.

One gift may not change the world overnight. But it's a start.

The foundation lists a number of resources that make giving easy and fun, including: • GlobalGiving.com, which has a "donation wizard" that finds the right gift depending on your preferences; • Heifer International, at www.heifer.org, which uses low-dollar donations to send llamas, sheep and other livestock to people around the world; • Alternative Gifts International (www.alternativegifts.org), a catalog that offers a range of gifts that support people around the world;

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