Gift Ideas

Are you starting to think about gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season? Well, I am here to help. I have two great suggestions for you.

My wonderful friend and fellow adoptive mom, Tamara, designed a necklace for Gladney's On Their Own (OTO) project. The necklaces are made by girls that have aged out of Kechene Children's Home in Addis Ababa. Kechene is one of the orphanages that Damon and I visited while in Ethiopia.

Here is the OTO Mission Statement:

To provide meaningful financial assistance and education programs

to older, unadopted orphaned children served by Gladney Center for Adoption

in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America

to prepare them for a safe, self-sufficient life on their own.

You can pre-order the necklace for $35 and all the proceeds from the necklace benefit the girls from the Kechene Women's Association and the OTO project. I have pre-ordered mine and I can't wait to wear it. Tam points out that because of the open clasp it is very versatile and you could add whatever charm you like. Maybe this necklace would be perfect for your sister, best friend or favorite cousin? Or maybe you are like me and just feel like getting it for yourself. To pre-order: email shop@newyorkdesigner.com and put Kechene in the subject line.

My other great suggestion is Ethiopian Orphan Relief's Gena Giving Project. Gena is Ethiopian Christmas and Ethiopian Orphan Relief (EOR) wants to fill 130 backpacks to send to orphans at two of their partnering orphanages in Ethiopia. Ezra told me that if you were thinking of getting him a Christmas gift then he would prefer that you give to the Gena Giving Project instead. You can either shop on your own and fill a backpack or if you are too busy to shop then for just a $15 donation EOR will fill the backpack. Email Info@ethiopianorphanrelief.com to shop for a specific child or go to the EOR website and donate $15. So you can cross Ezra off your shopping list and make a $15 donation to EOR. Wasn't that easy!

Gena Giving Project - 130 backpacks to children in Ethiopia from Ethiopian Orphan Relief, Inc. on Vimeo.