The perfect alternative holiday gift is an easy trivia question

CONTESTANT: “I’ll take 'Popular Holiday Gifts' for $1,000.” ALEX TREBEK: “This organization sells items that benefit children and families all over the world ... such as goats and life-saving medicines ... in its holiday gift catalog.”CONTESTANT: “What is World Vision? ALEX TREBEK: “Correct! That adds $1,000 to your lead. It’s a charity I’ve been associated with for over a quarter of a century — and a very good one, too.”

Seattle, WA (May 30, 2012) — For nearly 27 years, Jeopardy! trivia game show host Alex Trebek has been a supporter of World Vision and the World Vision Gift Catalog. He joins well-known personalities such as actress Patricia Heaton and New York Times best-selling novelist Debbie Macomber who have also been known to support World Vision in its efforts to fight poverty around the world and in the U.S.

“It’s almost impossible to comprehend the suffering that children experience around the world. World Vision is addressing those needs,” said Heaton.

This upcoming holiday season, shoppers can reinvent gift lists and join the cause by choosing meaningful, life-changing gifts from the World Vision Gift Catalog. These alternative gift ideas, from goats and chickens to life-saving medicines, honor the recipient and create a lasting impact for people in need. The catalog offers a wide variety of items to match the hobby or interest of the recipient. For example, a gardener may like hybrid or drought-resistant seeds for a farmer while a sports enthusiast could get a kick out of four soccer balls donated to a school.

New this year is the option to create a personal My Gift Catalog page at www.mygiftcatalog.org. This online tool allows individuals to create a personalized fundraising page. The individual can then encourage family and friends to visit their page and purchase a gift from the catalog in lieu of traditional holiday presents. This tool can be used during the holiday season, as well as all year long for birthdays, weddings, graduations or other celebrations.

For the fourth consecutive year, World Vision staff will also be traveling around the world to get a look inside the lives of families impacted by the Gift Catalog through the “The True Spirit of Christmas” tour. The tour demonstrates the impact animals and other gifts have on families and children. Donors can follow “The True Spirit of Christmas” on Facebook at www.facebook.com/worldvision.The video below is a true-life example of the love and hope these gifts bring to families. The video shares the story of a family in Sri Lanka whose life has been improved by the gift of chickens.

Since the Gift Catalog was introduced in 1996, its popularity as a gift-giving medium has continually grown and is projected to reach more than $33.5 million in purchases made last fiscal year which impacted more than 800,000 people around the world. In fiscal year 2013, World Vision hopes to reach the $35 million mark. After purchasing a Gift Catalog item, the person whose name the gift was given in can receive a special card describing the gift and its impact. Donors can also receive free handmade gifts such as ornaments from Nairobi and jewelry from Thailand with a contribution to the Maximum Impact Fund.

To order from World Vision’s Gift Catalog, visit www.worldvisiongifts.org. To order by phone or to request a print catalog, call toll-free at (888) 511-6511.

Product photos and interviews are available upon request. Contact Gardi Wilks at 708-434-5006, gardi@wilkspr.com.

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About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve the world's poor — regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information on their efforts, visit WorldVision.org/press or follow them on Twitter at @WorldVisionNews