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Gifts of Hope is an alternative gift program in the Metropolitan Washington DC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
What is alternative giving? Traditional gift giving involves buying an item and giving it to a relative or friend. Alternative giving differs in that it involves buying a symbol of a gift and giving the symbol to someone. The actual item goes to someone who needs the gift. For example, traditionally, a child might give a small bottle of perfume to her teacher at Christmas. Alternatively, the child might give her teacher a Christmas card that tells the teacher that a basket of books has been made available to needy children as a Gift of Hope.
One might choose alternative giving -- to give a Gift of Hope -- for any of several reasons:
You may begin by reviewing the items in the Gifts of Hope catalog or you may prefer to look at the organizations that are beneficiaries of the program and select gifts that will be distributed by a specific local or international organization. Gifts of Hope benefits local social ministry organizations, Lutheran camps and the Synod’s companion Lutheran churches abroad. Learn how to purchase.
Combined purchases over the past 16 years totaled more than 2 million dollars. There are no overhead expenses in Gifts of Hope. Every dollar that you spend on a Gift of Hope is spent for that purpose. Last year’s results may be reviewed here. Together, we spread the joy of God’s love here and throughout the world. Thank you for considering Gifts of Hope.
Gifts of Hope appreciates the support of the Alexandria, National Capital Area (DC), Fairfax, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County Chapters of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for covering all printing costs. Thanks to Elizabeth Clark, www.bluoak.com, for contributing the beautiful card design.