Tis the Season for Giving...

So, if you’re like me, you still have some last minute Christmas shopping to do. And if you’re also like me, you might need a little help coming up with that perfect gift.

This year, we explored important issues happening all around the world and also right here at home. As 2009 comes to an end, it’s more important than ever to continue to stand in solidarity with those who could use a little extra support this year. And so, I have some suggestions about ways your need to find that perfect holiday gift and your desire to help change the world can intersect.

This holiday season, there are a number of opportunities to purchase gifts that also support our troops. Bake me a Wish has pledged to send a cake to a solider overseas for every cake you purchase for your friends and family. Or pick up your next bottle of wine from OneHope, where 50% of the profits go to organizations supporting out troops.

You can also support Iraqi children who have been resettled to the US by supporting the List Kids. Many of these families are living on incredibly tight budgets and are facing their first winter in a foreign land. To help Iraqi children still living in the region, I suggest visiting Unicef’s online store or purchasing a Mercy Kit from Mercy Corp.

Or, you can help survivors of the Rwandan Genocide. The UN estimates that more than 250,000 women were raped and subsequently infected with HIV during the conflict. Now these women have formed a jewelry cooperative where they use the proceeds from their sales to lift themselves out of poverty. Check out their beautiful merchandise here: www.samesky.com

For more information on these and other items that give back, I suggest you visit this handy holiday guide from the Today Show. They have gifts supporting the environment, men’s health, battered women’s shelters and much more.