Charitable Giving Gift Ideas

Do-good gifts for everyone on your list!

Although there are hundreds of charities that need help, here are 10 to consider:

jupiterimages

For the celebrity follower: CharityBuzz

Buy a celebrity experience -- for example, buy lunch and shopping date with Hilary Duff or a chance to meet President-Elect Barack Obama at the Inauguration -- and your money will go to a specified charity. Just be prepared to spend some serious dough, perhaps a few thousand. (prices vary; www.charitybuzz.com)


Jason Reed, Reuters

For the national park enthusiast: Grand Canyon Association

Adopt a lion through the Grand Canyon Association (you get a 12-inch plush lion and personalized adoption certificate), and over half of your donation will support research about Grand Canyon animals like mountain lions, rattlesnakes and humpback chubs. ($25; www.grandcanyonassociation.org)


Getty Images

For the environmentalist: Cool Earth

Your donation will protect half an acre of rainforest to help offset carbon emissions. Your recipient will receive updates from Cool Earth's monitoring team and can also view and monitor their half acre. ($50; www.coolearth.org)


Getty Images

For the pet and wine lover: Dog Lover's Wine Club

Send your recipient two bottles of premium wine from Carivintas Winery every month or every other month. Each month features a new dog illustration on the label, and a minimum of 10 percent of sales is donated to animal shelters and rescue groups across the country. ($48 plus tax and shipping per month, www.dogloverswineclub.com)


jupiterimages

For the hard-to-please: CharityChoice Gift Cards

Purchase a gift card through CharityChoice, and the recipient can choose which charity will get the money. The list includes over 100 charities like the Alzheimer's Association, Feed the Children and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. (you determine the amount; www.charitygiftcertificates.org)

Getty Images

For the tree hugger: Save the Redwoods League

Have a redwood seedling planted in honor of a loved one in a California state park. (minimum $50; www.savetheredwoods.org)


Corbis

For the tea aficionada: Teatulia

Your Teatulia tea purchase helps support the Teatulia Cooperative, which has established education, health and cattle-lending programs for more than 1,000 people working in northern Bangladesh where the tea is grown. ($10 for single canister or $100 for tea of the month; www.teatulia.com)


jupiterimages

For the socially responsible: Heifer International

Your gift provides farm animals and earth-friendly agricultural training to people living in poverty. For instance, $10 could buy a share of an animal, $20 a flock of chicks, $500 a dairy cow and $5,000 an ark of animals. (various prices; www.heifer.org)


Image Source

For those who want to help sick children: St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital

Donate to one of the world's premier centers for the treatment of pediatric cancer and other childhood diseases. (you choose the amount; www.stjude.org)


Jupiter Images