CHARITABLE GIVING
A Holiday Do-Gooder’s
Goodie Bag
NONPROFIT GIFT GIVING GUIDE • By Cindy Ingram
C
all it karma, the holiday spirit, charity, civic engagement,
being neighborly or just plain nice. This time of year we are all
reminded of the joy of giving to strangers. You have multi-
tudes of ways you can go about choosing which vehicle of
goodwill to activate. With the current state of need both
domestic and international, the only right thing to do is to choose at least one
and give what you can.
You’d be surprised at the incredible impact a little gift can make on one’s
quality of life, especially your own. In fact, the selfless act of philanthropy
feels sooo fabulous you may even get hooked!
Here is a list of incredible nonprofits located right here in the
Eugene/Springfield area that would love to be on your Christmas list this
year. Remember, all gifts to registered 501(c)3 organizations are tax
deductible. Ho! Ho! Ho!
abortions are legal, but unfortunately
many woman just can’t afford to receive
this important medical service. Marti
Black, NRO board member, says that
donations of “good green money” will go
directly to the Women in Need fund which
provides funding for low-income women
throughout Oregon.
PFLAG (Parents and Families of
Lesbians and Gays)
www.pflag-es.org, PO Box 11137, Eugene
97440, 338-9661
PFLAG (Parents and Families of
Lesbians and Gays) promotes the health
and well-being of queer and transgender
folks and their families and friends through
education, advocacy and support. When
asked what PFLAG would like for
Christmas, Anita Stelling, board treasurer
replied, “Board members! In fact, we could
use three or four!” They could also use
some additional funds to purchase books
for their community resource library.
Safe & Sound Youth Project
Amigos Multicultural Services
www.amigosmsc.org, 746-6022
Amigos Multicultural Services (former-
ly known as Amigos de Sobrevivientes) is
overcoming big changes and re-growth.
Now located in Springfield, Amigos has
expanded their specialized services to assist
more than just survivors of political torture
and their families. Zenia Leyva of Amigos
says, “We are now a service of referral and
case management as well.” Currently a sin-
gle mother from El Salvador and her three
children live in the Amigos residential pro-
gram. They have asked for a donation of
firewood so that they can reduce their
monthly heating costs by utilizing their
wood stove.
Birth to Three
www.birthto3.org, 349-7784,
sknez@bithto3.org
Birth to Three, an internationally rec-
ognized provider of parenting education
since 1978, serves about half of the
Healthy Start Families in Lane County.
“Many of our families have several chil-
dren and are in real financial hardship over
the holidays,” says Stana Knez, Bto3
development director. “We ask that readers
pass the hat at their next gathering of
friends, colleagues or faith community,
and come together to sponsor families in
need.” You can also call Stana to learn
more about the holiday wishes expressed
by Bto3 families such as a push toy and
diapers for an 18-month-old just learning
to walk. Please send gifts or cash worth
$25 per child by Friday, Dec. 16.
Center for Appropriate
Transport (CAT)
on your holiday giving list, and promote
sustainable transportation. What more
could a bike lover ask for?
Geeks Without Borders (GWoB)
www.gwob.org, 344-6220
Program Director Chantel Saban laughs
out loud as she explains the activities of this
science fiction-lovin’, international border-
crossin’, techno-savvy nonprofit established
in 2003. “What we do is serious, but we’re a
bunch of goofy geeks!” GWoB receives
donated computers and ships them off to
non-governmental organizations in far off
places like India and Africa. Like many
Lane County 501(c)3s, it’s not about the big
bucks, it’s about getting the work done —
even if it means all the volunteers pitch in
both time and money to make it happen.
They could really use, you guessed it, used
computers, as well as cash donations to
cover the cost of shipping.
HIV Alliance
www.hivalliance.com, 342-5088 ext. 25
HIV Alliance provides a comprehensive
array of much-needed support, advocacy,
case management and counseling for those
affected by HIV and AIDS in Lane County.
Thanks to their staff’s tireless efforts in serv-
ing the highest of risk populations, through
testing, education and needle exchange pro-
grams, Eugene/Springfield has seen an
incredible decline in HIV/AIDS. Because it
costs a whopping $1,500 to $5,000 a month
for treatment and medication for each HIV+
individual, gifts of grocery baskets, gift cer-
tificates, toys, games, personal items and
anything special would be a treat for clients
on a limited budget.
Located on First Street in Eugene, open 12-
6 Tu.- Sat. 334-1197 & 683-3397
Network for Reproductive
Options (NRO)
Center for Appropriate Transport is a
nonprofit organization dedicated to sustain-
able transportation, particularly human
powered. Their retail store, Eugene Bicycle
Works, serves as a primary source of
income for their groovy educational pro-
gramming. Knock off some of those names
www.NRoptions.org, PO Box 10894,
Eugene 97440
www.eugeneweekly.com
Network for Reproductive Options
(NRO) was created as a response to the
closure of All Women’s Health Services in
2002 and has fast become Oregon’s
largest abortion funder. Remember folks,
132 East Broadway, Suite 103, Eugene,
97401, 868-2084
Safe & Sound Youth Project, a coalition
effort among private, nonprofit and public
partners providing a coordinated response
to homeless, runaway and at-
risk youth certainly has their
hands full. With partners
including HIV Alliance,
Planned
Parenthood,
Direction Services and
Looking Glass, donations
given directly to the coalition
get distributed to all its mem-
bers. It’s a one-stop shop for
helping homeless teens in
Lane County! Donations of
gift certificates for coffee
shops, fast food restaurants,
clothing stores and movie the-
aters, as well as bus tokens,
are much appreciated.
so volunteer ski patrollers function on an
annual budget of about $1,000. It’s just
enough to buy bandages, sleds and the
supplies they need to keep the warming
hut open and running. A 20 x 30-foot
U.S. Forest Service log cabin in the Gold
Lake Sno Park welcomes chilled noses
and frozen fingers to a cup of hot cocoa
and educational presentations. They ask
that when visiting their cabin, open
weekends throughout the snow season,
you remember to drop a buck or two into
the donation jar.
Womenspace
www.enddomesticviolence.com, 485-8232
Womenspace, a local favorite nonprofit,
is more than just a shelter for domestic vio-
lence survivors. They also work to end
domestic violence by empowering women
and children, and changing community
standards regarding intimate partner abuse.
Through the end of November you can
swing by your area Target store and partic-
ipate in their house warming gift registry in
preparation for Womenspace’s new loca-
tion. Other items on their wish list include
diapers (all sizes), children’s school sup-
plies and warm winter clothing. Donations
can be dropped off at 1553 Oak St., 8-5 pm
Monday through Friday.
The Science Factory
Children’s Museum
and Planetarium
www.sciencefactory.org,
PO Box 1518, Eugene
97440, 682-7888
Amigos Multicultural Services:
The Science Factory
Amigos volunteer Zenia
Children’s Museum and
Leyva sits with Emiliana
Planetarium Director of
Aguilar Sosa and her baby
Education and Outreach
Tojil Sosa Aguilar.
Tracey Edmundson says
“Come on. It’s cool to give to
With more than 1,300 registered non-
the Science Factory!” With a donation of
profits in Lane County, there’s got to be at
$50-$100 you can provide a partial or full
least one that you are drawn to! Here are
scholarship to local low-income children to
a few more of the many worthy organiza-
attend a hands-on, educational summer
tions to consider when doling out some
camp of their choice.
holiday cheer: Doulas Supporting
Teens (607-0487), Mount Pisgah
Willamette Backcountry
Arboretum (www.efn.org/~mtpisgah),
Ski Patrol
www.wbsp.org, 942-0824
Cherry
Willamette Back Country Ski Patrol
volunteer Josie Elting has been a first
responder for about 10 years. “We like
the quiet swoosh, swoosh of the snow,
rather than the loud vroom, vroom of the
snow mobiles.” Josie and the other 15 or
(www.cblossom.org), BRING Recycling
(www.bringrecycling.org), Cascade
Raptor Center (www.eraptors.org),
and The Stoves for People in
Guatemala Project (nancyineu-
gene@yahoo.com).
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Blossom
Musical
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Eugene Weekly’s GIFT GUIDE
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