We all want to help children, families, and elders to feel loved and remembered at Christmastime. We want them to share a meal, receive a gift, and know that someone in Canada cares about them.

Chalice offers three ways of giving joy at Christmas. Here’s how to decide what kind of giving is right for you.

Christmas fund

• Who receives it? Donations to the Christmas fund are distributed to every sponsor site.
• Who benefits? Everyone – sponsored, un-sponsored, families, and vulnerable neighbours.
• How? Each site then plans its own Christmas festivities for sponsored children and elders, along with their families, classmates, and neighbours. They plan parties, meals, games, talent shows, craft-making workshops, living nativities – there’s no end to their creativity.
• What impact does it make? Every child gets to have a Christmas celebration and receive a gift, not just sponsored children. Many sites also share their joy with neighbours in need, bringing donations and songs to orphanages, seniors' homes, or prisons.
• Suggested donation? $25-$50

Gift Catalogue

• Who receives it? When you give an item from our Christmas gift catalogue, it goes to someone in our sponsor sites who needs it.
• Who benefits? Sponsored children, parents, elders, family circles, and community members.
• How? Our sponsor site staff consult with the family circles and know which items will make the biggest difference to whom.

• What impact does it make? Whatever the gift, whoever receives it, the impact is life-changing. It can mean a better education, improved health or nutrition, a new business, clean water... 
• Suggested donation? Gifts range from $10-$2500

Special Money

• Who receives it? Gifts of special money go directly to your sponsored friend in the same way your sponsorship funds do.
• Who benefits? Your friend (or their parents) can decide what they want to spend it on.

• How? They might choose new clothes, school supplies, a home appliance, vitamins, food, or other items that didn’t fit into the family budget.
• What impact does it make? For your sponsored friend and their family, your generosity has the double impact of making them feel loved and supported, as well as giving them extra discretionary funds to make an improvement in their lives.
• Suggested donation? $25*

*Remember, you can send special money at any time of year. For the memory-challenged, you can request to have it sent automatically at specific times (e.g. for their birthday, Easter, etc). Contact us about sending your sponsored friend a gift of special money.

Sending Christmas cards and letters:

Your sponsored friend would be delighted to receive a Christmas card, letter, postcard, and/or photographs from you (For more on that, click here). Unfortunately, we cannot send them gifts. Please do not mail items such as books, toys, clothing, devotionals, cash, or cheques. We thank you deeply for your kindness, but we are not able to ship them. Please channel your thoughtfulness into your card and your resources into one of the ways to give above.

For more ways to give, check out 7 Ways to Give to Chalice.