What I Really Want for Christmas

Each year, around this time, friends and business partners start sending presents to my office. The reception desk gets covered with tins of candy, boxes of cookies, sometimes a few bottles of wine. It’s all very nice. But what I’d really like is a flock of chicks or maybe some honeybees.

Let me explain what I mean. I’m touched that people think to send holiday treats. It’s a fun tradition. My team at the office always looks forward to the flavored popcorn that one of our partners sends every year. So I don’t want to sound ungrateful or deprive my colleagues of caramel corn.

But I can’t help thinking that the money spent on these gifts could go to people who need it more than I do.

For example you might know about Heifer International, a non-profit that lets you buy an animal for a family in need. Send Heifer $30 and someone gets honeybees. $120 buys a pig. There are lots of other options too.

You can even give an animal or other donation in someone else’s name. So if you’re looking for a gift to send your clients and partners this year, you could donate to a group like Heifer on their behalf. They will get a card acknowledging your gift. They’ll have to go get their own cookies, but on the bright side, they will know that your generosity in their name really helped someone.

Heifer is part of a project that Melinda and I are supporting this year called Giving Tuesday. The idea is to take one day out of your holiday shopping and dedicate it to giving back. The Giving Tuesday web site lists lots of great organizations that need your support. (Although Giving Tuesday falls on December 3, you can donate any time.) Melinda and
I have posted our list of four groups that we think are especially effective, including Heifer, but there are many others to choose from. If you run a non-profit, becoming a partner with Giving Tuesday could be a great way to connect with new donors.

I’d encourage you to check out the groups taking part in Giving Tuesday. You could help them make a tangible difference in someone’s life, which is just about the best gift any of us could ask for.

Read more coverage of Giving Tuesday on LinkedIn:

Heather Williams Jacoby

Executive Chairlady and Managing Director of Tigadonne' NPO (since 1999) and Chairlady of TITIAM NPO

7y

Dear Mr Gates Thank you for sharing this inspiring story with us. I am currently in the process of building a 'Mini Community City' in the JHB area in South Africa, a first in S.A. and possibly a first in the world and our main focus is to keep the youth off the streets and to teach them skills, to give them hope for the future. Most of the 605 000 children in our community have an education but I doubt that many of them had a teacher such as Mrs Blanche Caffiere to inspire them. As you mentioned if it wasn't for the guidance of this very special teacher you might have been "turned off by school". Most high school drop-outs turn to crime because there seems to be no future for them. There is no employment for these youngsters and even the few who were fortunate enough to graduate from University are devastated because after doing their best to succeed in life there is no employment for them as well. 71% of our community of 3.2 million people live below the poverty level. They have access to education and health care but they have no hope in their lives. The crime rate is escalating because of the high unemployment rate. Our organisation wants to be the 'Mrs Blanche Caffiere' in the lives of these youngsters. We want to give them hope and the opportunity to discover their talents and to find their place in society again. We have so many ways in which we can help them:- 1. There are three large skills workshops where they can learn a trade such as building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, carpentry skills etc. 2. There is a computer school for those who would rather study IT skills. 3. There is a Music, Art and Drama school for those who are more creative. 4. There is a 'School of Talent' where they can learn anything from bead work to hairdressing. We encourage these pupils to start their own businesses with the skills that are taught in this school. 5. All sports facilities are available to them in our Community Centre including a fully equipped Gym. 6. We have designed a 'State of the Art' Teen Coffee shop so that they have a special place to hang out. 7. There is a go-cart track, trick-bike course, skateboard-rink, Laser Quest, wave-pool and many more fun activities to keep them off the streets. These facilities and many more are available to our entire community and these youth are subsidized by those who can afford to pay to utilize these facilities. We would like our Community Centre to be an example to other Metropolitan areas in our country and even in the rest of the world. We are a team of skilled individuals who have decided to dedicate the rest of our lives to enrich the poor, giving them hope and dignity - their rightful place in society. I am aware that you must be inundated with requests for assistance from so many organizations but all that I am asking you to do is to find out more about our project so that our ideas can be spread around the world. I look forward to giving you more information. Kind regards Heather

Like
Reply
Lucy Encarnacion

LIC. EN EDUCACIÓN, MENS. DESARROLLO AGRIC. Y RURAL

7y

HOLA, SOY UNA SENCILLA ROTARIA, DEL ROTARY CLUB HIGUEY, ME GUSTARÍA QUE ALGUNA VEZ UNA PERSONALIDAD COMO BILL GATES, O SU ESPOSA, VISITARAN MI CLUB, EN REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA , PROVINCIA LA ALTAGRACIA. Y QUE NOS DIERAN UNA CHARLA , SOBRE COMO SERVIR A LA HUMANIDAD, CON LA SENCILLEZ QUE LO HACE EL GENIO DE MICROSOFT

Like
Reply
-Amar Ahirwar

THE NATURE & THE GOD OF BEST SON at MAKING & SAVING CYCLE OF THE NATURE'S,ENVIRONMENT OF THE ALL WORLD

8y

very nice mom & dad

Like
Reply
RAJESH YADAV

Student at MARWADI EDUCATION FOUNDATION GROUP OF INSTITUTE

8y

I AM WISH ALL ARE UNDERSTAND TO YOU AND HELP TO EACH OTHER

Like
Reply
RAJESH YADAV

Student at MARWADI EDUCATION FOUNDATION GROUP OF INSTITUTE

8y

THIS IS REAL ENJOYNMENT

Like
Reply

To view or add a comment, sign in

Insights from the community

Others also viewed

Explore topics