Frederick Lenz once said that selfless giving is the art of living. As you prepare for festive gatherings and finish your holiday shopping, our Nonprofit Leadership Center Holiday Gift Guide highlights gifts for everyone on your list that give back to local nonprofit organizations. Thank you to our nonprofit community for sharing your top picks on social media to compile this year’s guide.
Candles from Seventh Avenue Apothecary to Benefit A Kid’s Place
Custom candles made locally by Seventh Avenue Apothecary exclusively for A Kid’s Place give hope to foster children in our community. They were created with the help of children and volunteers and come in two distinct scents: “Hope,” a blend of White Tea + Fig and Green Clover + Aloe and “Wish,” a blend of Chai Latte + Christmas Tree.
A Kid’s Place provides a safe, loving and nurturing home for foster children from birth to age 18 who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.
Candles range from $17 to $27 and come in glass jars or tins.
Handmade Bags from ECHO
From wristlets and zipper bags to leather totes, ECHO Handmade bags transform salvaged materials into socially conscious accessories.
ECHO (Emergency Care Help Organization) is a nonprofit organization that assists Hillsborough County residents in crisis with emergency food and clothing, life stabilizing programs and resources. Their social enterprise strives to empower our neighbors, community and planet with upcycled, handcrafted goods.
Products range from $14.95 to $44.95.
Ornaments from Answered Prayers Project
One-of-a-kind, handmade clay ornaments are the perfect addition to any Christmas tree or office. Pieces are created by women who are gaining workforce opportunities through art. Each ornament is numbered and finished with a mustard seed of faith on the back that you pass forward. Your recipient can register their piece and pass it on to others.
Answered Prayers Project is a non-denominational Christian nonprofit that provides healing art ministries to women in the Tampa Bay Area. Their mission is to equip low-income women with skills to gain workforce opportunities while building a community of support, restoring their dignity and fostering hope through faith, cloth and clay.
Ornaments are $10 each and can also be purchased in bundles.
Children’s Outfits from Bowtism
Bowtism is an online children’s clothing boutique owned by a Tampa mom who is dedicated to enhancing the lives of autistic families one beautifully handcrafted outfit and bow at a time. The company makes fashionable clothing and accessories for girls at affordable prices, with a portion of each sale supporting autism charities.
The company’s roots are in the owner’s personal autism story. After seeing the countless dollars it took to embrace therapy and provide a nurturing environment and knowing not all families have the means to support crucial care, Bowtism was born.
Prices vary by style, but all outfits are under $20.
Bourbon & Boweties Bracelets
As part of its Giving Back Collection, Bourbon & Boweties has gold and silver bangle bracelets that benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay. This nonprofit works to enable all young people, especially those who need us the most, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens.
Bracelets retail at $32, with 10% of the profits from the sale going directly to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay.
Women’s Fashions from The Charity Branch
From a neighborhood block party or family event to an impromptu getaway or weekend dinner, The Charity Branch offers women stylish and comfortable fashions for any occasion. And the best part is that the clothing is for a cause.
Charity Branch is an online women’s clothing retailer based in Tampa that gives 10% of every purchase to varying charities throughout the Tampa Bay community. They choose a benefitting charity each month and also host in-home or event-specific fashionable fundraisers where nonprofits or hosts can choose their benefitting organization. Charity Branch’s mission is to evoke goodwill and charitable giving through their clothing collections.
Prices vary by style.
Bowties from Sewn Apart
Sewn Apart takes old clothes and refashions them into new designs, diverting unnecessary waste from landfills while simultaneously giving back to local food systems. Their collection of colorful and creative bowties makes the perfect gift for any fashion-forward person in your life.
A portion of all sales benefits The Sustainable Living Project, an organization that teaches people about sustainable gardening and living.
Most bowties are around $40.
Cards of Hope from CASA
From a bus pass or a pair of shoes to a weekly stay in a shelter for a parent and their child, CASA cards allow you to give tangible hope to domestic violence victims in honor of someone you care about.
CASA is dedicated to creating a society free from domestic violence. They work to challenge the societal acceptance of all forms of domestic violence and stand up to silence through advocacy, prevention, intervention and support services.
Cards (and associated services provided to victims) range from $10 to $1,000.
Home Goods from Habitat for Humanity
Find new and gently used home furnishings at Habitat for Humanity ReStore locations in Clearwater, Palm Harbor and Zephyrhills. New items arrive daily and help build strength, stability, self-reliance and shelter for people living in our communities. Select locations are also selling Christmas ornaments that give back.
Prices vary.
Candles from Girls Empowered Mentally for Success
Empowerment. Joy. Friendship. Forgiveness. You can give these gifts and more when you purchase Transitions Candles to benefit Girls Empowered Mentally for Success. Their varying candle scents align with the characteristics they work to rebuild in the girls they serve.
Girls Empowered Mentally for Success empowers high school girls to discover their passion and purpose through creativity and wisdom. The candles provide another means to create healthy transitions for at-risk girls.
Prices vary from $9 to $27 for travel tins to glass jars.
A Bike from WellBuilt Bikes
Getting around on two wheels is better when it benefits our community. From mountain bikes and hybrids to road bikes, you can travel with purpose in the New Year. WellBuilt Bikes is a nonprofit bike shop that sells refurbished bikes at affordable prices and invests the sales revenue into their Earn-A-Bike program so those with little to no money can access and own a bike of their own. Their goal is to ensure everyone in Tampa, regardless of income, can own their own bike and benefit from transportation access, exercise and community.
Prices vary based on style from $149 to $449.
Edible Cookie Dough from Metropolitan Ministries
The award-winning Dough Nation serves up edible cookie dough in Tampa. From classic flavors like chocolate chip and dark chocolate to mixtures like s’mores, sweet & salty caramel and more, a gift card for your favorite sweet tooth to this social enterprise café benefits Metropolitan Ministries to feed the hungry in our region. Dough Nation is located at 505 N. Tampa Street, Tampa, FL 33602.
Prices vary based on size and treat from about $5 to $9 per dessert.
Conversation Cards
Appropriate for kids of all ages, Conversation Cards feature thought-provoking questions and discussion prompts, as well as emojis to support the development of emotional vocabulary. They’re an effective tool to encourage deeper conversations between parents and children, teachers and students, coworkers, mentors and mentees and others.
Proceeds from the cards benefit Frameworks and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. Frameworks empowers educators and other youth services professionals with training, coaching and research-based resources to equip students with social and emotional skills. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay works to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth so every young person can achieve their full potential.
Card decks are $20 each or $15 when you purchase 6 decks or more.
Happy holiday shopping to support Tampa Bay area nonprofits!