Great Gifting: Giving From the Heart

In the spirit of not burdening our lives or those of our loved ones with more stuff that needs dusting or displaying, yet also lets them know how much we care, I can't think of a better gift than a donation to a cause that would speak to the giftee.

For instance, if one of your friends reminds you just a bit of Dr. Dolittle, a gift to a local pet shelter or emergency pet clinic in their name would be just the ticket. As a personal note in this category, please consider giving to Multnomah County Animal Services, a terribly underfunded agency that handles the bulk of abandoned and injured pets in the city and is working to build a new shelter with public donations.

If your friend is giving CNN a run for its money with continuous e-mail updates on global affairs, consider a donation to Mercy Corps, the Heifer Project or any of dozens of domestic or international aid organizations.

For those concerned about hunger and food issues, there are a myriad of organizations that help the hungry in our communities, starting with the Oregon Food Bank and its network of 947 hunger-relief agencies in Oregon and Clark County, Washington. Even the gardeners on your list can find fertile soil in groups like Growing Gardens (top photo) and Zenger Farm (right).

To that end, a list of ideas and links is below. Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments section below this post!

Animals

• Multnomah County Animal Services
• Oregon Humane Society
• Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital
• Cat Adoption Team
• Golden Bond Rescue of Golden Retrievers
• Pixie Project

Aid groups

• Mercy Corps
• Heifer Project
• Medical Teams International (formerly NW Medical Teams)
• Doctors Without Borders/Medicines Sans Frontieres

Hunger and Social Services

• Oregon Food Bank
• Friendly House
• Outside In
• Delta Society (provides pet therapy in hospitals and care centers)
• Farmworker Housing and Development Corp.

Gardens

• Growing Gardens
• Zenger Farm
• Adelante Mujeres 

Check out the other gift suggestions in the series: Book by Book, Classic Design, Not Dead Yet! (food magazines you'll love) and Class Acts.