CELEBRITY RESCUE GIFTS HELP WORLD REFUGEES
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CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
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Rashida Jones
The International Rescue Committee has launched its “Rescue Gifts” holiday catalog, debuting collections from celebrity IRC Voices Morena Baccarin, star of Homeland; Rashida Jones, star of “Parks and Recreation;” John Legend, nine-time Grammy award-winning artist; Sarah Wayne Callies, star of “The Walking Dead;” and Jencarlos Canela, award-winning musician and telenovela star. The IRC’s “Rescue Gifts” offer holiday shoppers gift options for their loved ones that make a meaningful difference in the lives of those uprooted by conflict or natural disaster in more than 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities.
Morena has handpicked her favorite gifts, which are focused around the protection and empowerment of women and girls — $56 can send a young girl to school for a year and give her the chance of a better life. Morena, who has just become a new mom herself, has also selected A Safe Delivery ($24), which can ensure critical supplies and assistance to help make childbirth safer — and happier — for both mother and baby, and Maternal Health Care ($52), which can provide a mother-to-be with the advice, medical assistance and other support she needs to keep herself and her baby healthy.
Rashida visited an IRC-run camp for Burmese refugees in Thailand and was inspired by her trip to choose her favorite gifts, all of which provide lifesaving assistance to refugees in critical need. A Community Health Worker Training Kit ($335) can enroll a Burmese refugee in an intensive six-month training course taught by IRC doctors at a local college in Thailand. Emergency Medical Transport ($60) can help ensure a safe birth for expectant mothers in camps by transporting them to a local hospital so they don’t have to make the trip on foot.
Other gifts include:
A Teddy Bear and Creativity Kit ($45), from Sarah Wayne Callies’ collection, can give incredible solace to children caught up in conflicts like the one affecting millions of Syrians.
A Toolbox for Disaster Recovery ($75), from Jencarlos Canela’s collection, can help survivors of natural disasters like Typhoon Haiyan begin rebuilding their communities.
A Pair of Baby Goats ($100) – great for animal lovers – can put a family in drought-ridden Somalia back on the road to recovery by helping to start a new herd.
“Rescue Gifts” are charitable gifts that support the IRC’s humanitarian aid work and represent the kinds of supplies and services that the IRC provides to refugees and others uprooted by war and disaster. There are more than three dozen gift options at varying prices, and for each “Rescue Gift” bought, a personalized printed card or an eCard is sent to the recipient, describing the gift and how it will impact the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Gift buyers can see the catalog at www.rescue.org/gifts.
While gadgets soon become obsolete and the latest trends go out of style, Rescue Gifts have a lasting impact and are perfect options for:
· The socially conscious gift giver or recipient: “Rescue Gifts” make a real difference for people in need.
· The eco-conscious gift giver or recipient: “Rescue Gifts” have a minimal carbon footprint (zero carbon impact with eCards) and there’s no need for wrapping paper.
· The financially prudent shopper: “Rescue Gifts” offer real value and last a lot longer than a box of chocolates.
· The last-minute shopper: Gifts can be bought and eCards sent in a flash – throughout Hanukkah or even on Christmas Day.
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