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This Year`s Gifts - Charity

Public and private businesses are going to give a different kind of gift this year during the holiday season. With the after-effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita still affecting the lives of many Americans, with images of the earthquake in Pakistan, Community Voice Mail, a grassroots charity, is going to donate money. This company provides phone numbers and voice mail to the homeless and hurricane victims in 37 cities and 19 states. It has created a fun, new way for companies as well as individuals to participate in charitable giving for the holidays.

Charities like Community Voice Mail may indeed be on the receiving end of a new trend in responsible giving. According to a 2004 survey of businesses by The Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 70% of participants contributed cash to `support the well-being of communities.` Says Bill Strathmann, CEO of Network for Good: `Giving to a worthy cause at the holidays makes everyone feel good, the person making the donation, the person or company honored with the donation and the person helped by the donation. That`s a win-win-win scenario.`

`We hope this holiday that instead of going on a spending spree, shoppers will go on a giving spree,` says Patricia Bonnell, Community Voice Mail`s development director. Individuals can send holiday Ecards to friends and family for only $7 apiece. This electronic `stocking stuffer` gift supplies one hurricane victim or homeless person with voice mail for one month - enabling them to connect to hope and loved ones at a time they need it most.