My Joyful Heart works with intercity children, to help provide hope for them.  Diane Carroll shares a bit of her story:

“After the holidays in January of 2002, I listened to conversations amongst the employees who had young children as they compared notes on the number of toys their kids had received for Christmas. When I heard someone comment that her children had received “too much,” I thought about the inner city kids whose Christmas wishes I had filled and wondered if Christmas gifts were all that they had to look forward to all year. This thought weighed heavy on my heart and I knew at that moment that I could and would do something about that!

I contacted the school that the children I had provided for attended to find out what else I could do for them. I learned that one of the children, the little boy, was in special education and desperately needed attention. In speaking with the children’s advocate at the school, I told her I would like to continue to provide gifts for these two children not only at Christmas time, but also for other holidays throughout the year as well as their birthdays. She was understandably apprehensive; however, she agreed to help me by distributing the gifts. I happened to be reading a book at the time called “A Love Worth Giving” by Max Lucado, in which he referenced a proven study that revealed if children are made to feel special, they respond. I knew when I read this that it was exactly what I wanted to do for these two kids – make them feel special.”

Gift Card Giver was able to help Diane make a difference by providing gift cards for department and sports stores so she could help buy gifts for the children she interacts with everyday!

We call it English as a Second Language (ESL) class, but it has become so much more.

A few weeks ago, the teachers brainstormed some ways to make language learning a little more hands-on. What if we practiced numbers, measuring and following directions in English by building something? After a little research, we decided to have the men build a small wooden stool.

Since this is a brand new class with no direct funding at this point, we now needed some resources to make it happen. With an email request to GiftCardGiver.com, we quickly had Home Depot gift cards in hand to purchase supplies. Some of our volunteers brought in power drills, screwdrivers, and straight edges. A table saw and jigsaw topped it all off.

The lesson started with a brief introduction and practice of the tool names in English and the all-important “Safety First” lecture. The men were hushed, taking in every word, but then gathered in close as someone demonstrated each tool. Suddenly, it occurred to me that none of these men had ever seen a power tool. They recognized the hand saw, but the rest…they had entered a new world.

As we broke into groups, I could sense the hesitation in most of the men. They wanted to do it right, but were uncertain about the directions and those tools. It didn’t last long. Once that table saw got started and we convinced the first few to try it themselves, the noise level and the excitement in the room grew. They grew more confident with each step successfully completed. I think each one of them by evening’s end had used at least one of the power tools. And when the women and children joined around to watch and admire as they finished, the broad smiles spoke volumes.

As I watched the camaraderie, the dancing eyes, and pride in a finished product, I realized that something special had occurred that evening. Just a few days before, I had heard that at least 3 Bhutanese men had committed suicide since moving to the United States. Alone, overwhelmed and without hope they chose to die rather than trying to build a new life in a new country.

I think we built more than just wooden stools at ESL last night.

Lemonade International works in La Limonada Guatemala.  They’re committed to transforming that community through child sponsorship, providing humanitarian relief by providing food, clothing and shelter, and by starting micro-lending programs for those in the community who need initial start up funds to provide for themselves, among a whole host of other things they’re doing!

It’s an incredible, making a tremendous impact, but money for operational supplies are always hard to come by!  It’s sometimes difficult to get grants or funding for the everyday type things that are necessary, like office supplies.  Gift Card Giver was able to send gift cards to Lemonade International to help with these expenses!

We met Richard Williams this summer, when he was interning with East Atlanta Kids Club.  We worked together on a Card Me Party that went to benefit the Kids Club.  Richard contacted us this week with a unique request.  He and some friends are taking a tour over spring break of rural towns, speaking to high school students about the importance a college education.  Richard and his friends all grew up in rural towns, and wanted to encourage the students they are familiar with to care for their futures.

Gift Card Giver was able to send gift cards to restaurants and gas stations to lower their expenses for the week they’re on the road!

Since 1983, the Youth Job Center has assisted more than 20,000 young job seekers with job placement, employment counseling and ongoing support. They provide:

* job training and placement services to approximately 1,400 youth annually.
* job placement of 45% of the youth served — well above the national average for youth employment
* employee placement and follow-up services to our employer partners

Youth Job Center of Evanston believes that when you invest in young lives, everyone in the community benefits. The future workforce largely depends on our own ability to prepare, motivate and educate our young people. Education and employment have been identified as integral steps to break the cycle of poverty.

Gift Card Giver was able to give iTunes, Best Buy, and Barnes & Noble gift cards for the staff to give out as incentives for the students to stay engaged in the program!

Jeff Shinabarger was able to talk about Gift Card Giver and some of the people we’ve been able to help in 2009. He tells some of the best ways for you to get involved! Check it out!

There’s a great organization in Atlanta called Charis Community Housing.  It was founded by Bob Lupton 30 years ago because he  believed that many of the problems associated with economic poverty originated after we isolated the economically poor. Charis desires to break this isolation and create wholesome, viable, sustainable mixed-income communities of peace.  They are neighborhood based, and do great workshops to help inform people regarding home ownership.  They give out out prizes at these workshops as incentives to help their neighbors to get involved in understanding how to better care for their homes and neighborhoods.  Gift Card Giver was able to help by donating gift cards that they can use as the prizes!

In Lansing Michigan, they have just started an English as a Second Language class. The city has had an influx of refugees from Bhutan. They have been in refugee camps for 17 years after being forced out of Bhutan by the government as a kind of ethnic cleansing. In the last year and a half the UN has been placing them in 4 countries–one being the U.S. They were not given a choice of where to live–just told where they would be placed. Many of them are 40 years and older, many in that age group having little to no English skills or understanding of American culture (much less midwestern…). The ESL class has been primarily targeting this older age group, though each week they also serve children, teens and twenty-somethings as well.

The people of Lansing Central Free Methodist Church are continually brainstorming ways to help with language acquisition in very practical, daily life matters. They have been working on measuring and counting words and concepts and thought it would be great to have them actually do a project where they have to use those words to build something.  They’re to have the men build one step stool per family. They thought this would also serve a practical need as the men and women tend to be shorter and would probably find a step stool very helpful. So far Beth Poole, the lady who runs the class has been purchasing all the supplies out of pocket, because there is no budget for this project.  Gift Card Giver is excited to be able to help her help these refugees in Michigan!

We were contacted by Andrew Baker the day after the earthquake in Haiti asking us how we could partner together to help rebuild Haiti.  He works at Harding University in Arkansas with the Encouragement Foundation. He along with a friend started doing research on the immediate needs in Haiti and determined there was a need for tents to provide temporary shelter to those in need, and those helping meet needs.  They started a project called Tents and Tarps and have already raised over $20,000 in gift cards and cash to help with the project.  They are already meeting immediate needs there with their project.  This is one of the ways Gift Card Giver is able to help with Haiti relief and rebuilding.

The other way we are involved is our Super Giver parties for the Super Bowl.  To find out how you and your friends can make a difference, please read more about our Super Giver parties, our Super Give-Away and our partnership with Sarah Cunningham and her book Picking Dandelions.