Gift-Giving with Thought: Top 5 Gifts that Give Back for 2020

Gift giving around the holidays can be challenging – what to buy, will they like it, and so on – but especially so in 2020 with many people turning to online shopping, but being faced with postal delays and long delivery wait times.

UNICEF Canada is here once again to take some of the stress out of your holiday gift giving, and help you check a few more things off your to-do list, with our curated list of gifts that give back this holiday season. And as a bonus, there’s no delivery times so even if you wait until the last minute, you know the gift you chose will go to a child in need whenever they need it.

UNICEF Survival Gifts are shipped to children in 141 countries to help protect their right to a childhood and allow them to survive and thrive. Unlike many other charities, UNICEF Survival Gifts are not thematic, which means they are real gifts with real impact, allowing you to understand the tangible nature of your purchase.

1) Water Health Bundle - $22 

More than 800 children aged under 5 die every day from preventable diseases linked to poor water and sanitation. This gift makes a life-saving impact for children exposed to waterborne illnesses. This gift will help protect 45 children from deadly waterborne illnesses by providing 15 bars of soap, 90 oral rehydration salt sachets and 700 water purification tablets.

2) COVID-19 Relief Package - $119

Providing children with access to safe water for drinking, hand-washing and other sanitation needs is even more critical with a global pandemic still raging. This gift helps prevent children from being exposed to deadly diseases. This bundle includes 45 bars of soap, 270 oral rehydration salt sachets and 2,100 water purification tablets to protect 135 children as well as Personal Protective Equipment of a respiratory mask, surgical mask, protective boots, and coverall gown to help keep health workers and children safe from the spread of preventable diseases.

3) Vaccine Pack - $27

The life-saving combination of polio, tetanus and measles vaccines protects children against common, deadly diseases so they can grow up healthy and strong. This gift will immunize 32 children against measles, polio and tetanus.

4) Winter Clothing - $67

Children need protected from the cold. This gift provides jackets, trousers, fleeces, boots or strong shoes, a scarf and a hat for at-risk children help maintain warmth and health in winter.

5) Educate Four Girls - $120

Educated girls find the skills, information and self-confidence needed to overcome poverty and adversity and grow up to become better parents, professionals and community members. Send four girls to school and support UNICEF's UNdaunted program in Uganda which aims to reach adolescent girls with this innovative education package. Intact Financial Corporation will generously match each gift purchased, up to $25,000.  

If none of the gifts we selected are exactly what you're looking for or if you have even more people to shop for, check out shop.unicef.ca, our online store with over 60 different products to help children in need. Happy gifting!