“Gifts of Love” Community
Christmas Store

Through this unique initiative, City Impact gives families a chance to have Christmas with dignity. You can help people have the dignity they deserve by providing donations for this innovative program. Instead of giving handouts to families in need at Christmas time, City Impact gives local moms, dads, grandparents and children the opportunity to purchase gifts for their family through the “Gifts of Love” Christmas Store. New toys, clothing, household items, electronics, and much more are significantly marked down (usually 70-80%) off the retail price and sold to those in the community who cannot afford to buy presents at full price. Families with children in City Impact’s programs are offered the opportunity to earn vouchers toward purchases made at the Christmas Store by completing community service work, such as helping in the City Impact office with newsletters and other mailings. The children, who purchase gifts with voucher money, earn vouchers through attending Bible Club, City Impact’s weekly program, reaching out to 120+ urban children each week.

“Gifts of Love” has seen a significant growth in its 10 years. In 1997, $1,000 of donated gifts were purchased by parents to help provide Christmas for 48 kids. In 2006, over 1,250 children and families were served with dignity through “Gifts of Love”. Over $60,000 of donated presents were purchased and over 100 Bibles and 125 Christian Holiday videos were prayerfully distributed. “Gifts of Love” 2006 saw over 550 volunteers invest in the most important asset in the community—people.

Donation Ideas for Kids-

Bikes / Big Wheels, Cameras, Toys, Games, Puzzles (all ages), Purses & Accessories, Barbies, Dolls (Ethnic variety), Jewelry & Watches, CD players / batteries,
Bath & Body lotion etc., Sporting Equipment Skates, Rollerblades, Warm-ups, Sweatshirts, Winter Coats, Christian Music, Videos, Bibles, Hair supplies, Hats,
School supplies, Backpacks, Gift Cards, Nike, Adidas: T-shirts, Hats, Shorts,
Footballs, Basketballs, DVD Players

No stuffed animals, please.

 

Donation Ideas for Adults-

Purses & Accessories, Clothing, Jewelry, Pictures / Frames, Bubble Bath, Lotions, Soaps, Hand & Power Tools, Colognes & Perfumes, Prayer Journals, Stationary, Pens, Stamps, Neckties, Dress Socks, Towels, Bedding, et c., Kitchenware,
Sporting Equipment (Fishing, Basketball, etc.), Warm-ups, sweatshirts, Winter coats, Bibles, Electronics, Small Appliances