Not all gifts need boxes and bows

One option might be to donate money to a charitable organization in someone else’s name.

Paula Shumaker, executive director of the Ozarks Literacy Council, said those types of donations are welcomed. The organization, which provides free tutoring and learning services to those who struggle with reading and writing, doesn’t get a high volume of gifts given in someone else’s name, she said, but they do occur occasionally around Christmastime. Shumaker herself has given money in honor of her aunt and uncle “who have everything, and they love it,” she said.

When a gift is given, the Ozarks Literacy Council will send a gift acknowledgement card to the recipient letting them know a donation has been made in their honor.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Ozarks, which provides one-to-one mentoring for at-risk children, also welcomes donations given in honor of someone. “We get those gifts often as a wedding or birthday present for someone. It really is a nice gift for someone who has everything,” said Lisa Slavens, executive director of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Ozarks.

Many people give a gift in the name of a specific family that has special needs during the holidays, she said. “People are aware of how many single mothers we affect, especially around the holidays, because they know that money will go directly to serve those families. We are good stewards of the money we’re given and we know the services make such a huge difference to these children.”

Like the Ozarks Literacy Council, Big Brothers/Big Sisters sends a card to the person who has been honored through a donation. The dollar amount isn’t included unless the donor requests it.

Ellen Hammock, director of the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, said

several people contribute to that organization right before the holidays rather than buying gifts for someone.

“That sort of donation and memorial contributions make up a lot of our budget,” she said. “Events are the biggest part of our revenue, but individual contributions like that really add up.”

BCFO provides nonmedical financial assistance to families facing breast cancer.

Another organization that gets a boost from donations made in lieu of buying a gift around the holidays is Developmental Center of the Ozarks.

Marci Bowling, development and public relations director at DCO, said several businesses take part in the organization’s Holiday Tribute Program.

“We’ve had a lot of people who will donate $15 per person for clients or employees they’d like to recognize at the holiday season,” she said. Holiday Tribute cards are sent to the recipients letting them know a gift has been made in their name. “We do have a handful who routinely do it,” she said. “For a lot of them it’s a win/win – a nice way for them to make a neat gift for the holiday season to a charity they have an interest in.”

Any nonprofit would welcome such a gift, according to Bowling, especially at the end of the year when the organizations are hoping for a balanced budget and for everyone to be served.

“December’s a really critical month,” she said, “and the Holiday Tribute Program’s been a neat one because sometimes we do get those wonderful gifts from heaven at Christmas.”

An advantage for both business owners and individuals who make donations to nonprofit organizations instead of buying traditional gifts for people is they can count them as tax deductions. Mike Copeland, CPA and owner of Copeland Tax Service, said whoever writes the check or gives the cash is entitled to the deduction.

A great resource for those who aren’t sure what non-profits are out there and therefore don’t know who to give money to is the Springfield-Greene County Library District’s “The Directory,” which lists nonprofit clubs, agencies and organizations in the Springfield metro area. The publication is updated every two years, and the new one, which will contain around 900 listings, is due out shortly after the first of the year, according to the Library’s Community Relations Director Jeanne Duffey. The publication is available for checkout or purchase at any Springfield-Greene County Library branch.