Last-minute holiday gifts that change lives

Seattle, WA (December 18, 2012) — With Christmas right around the corner the pressure is on to find the perfect gift. A World Vision survey (conducted by Harris Interactive) found 8 out of 10 Americans (83 percent) say they’d prefer to receive a meaningful gift that would help someone else instead of a traditional gift like clothing or electronics this holiday. The survey also shows 9 in 10 parents in the U.S. say they take steps to teach their children the value of giving.

Cheryl DeBruler, Marking Operations Specialist for World Vision, is seeing a return to meaningful giving this year through World Vision’s Gift Catalog. “The holidays can be a stressful, especially if you are a last-minute shopper.” DeBruler says. “But when we pause to help our neighbors in need we all experience the holidays in a more meaningful way.”

A charitable gift given from the World Vision Gift Catalog improves the life of a child or family in need by providing opportunities to overcome extreme poverty while honoring friends and loved ones. Gifts can be purchased in the name of a friend or loved one. A card describing the impact of your gift can be printed online in minutes, making it a great alternative to visiting jam-packed stores days before the holidays. Shoppers can choose from hundreds of meaningful, life-changing gifts — such as goats, school supplies, and fresh water wells — which honor the recipient and create a lasting impact for people in need. There are many gifts under $35 dollars including:

• Two chickens – $25
• Bed nets for 1 family – $18
• Five ducks – $30
• Food kits for low-income families in the U.S. – $16

This year marks the 17th annual edition of the catalog. Since 1996 the catalog’s popularity as a gift-giving alternative has grown with more than 160,000 purchases last year raising more than $33 million that helped more than 825,000 people around the world. Goats ($75) remain the most popular item — more than 67,000 goats were given to families around the world in 2011.

Children and adults alike can learn more about the recipients of items purchased in the gift catalog through the catalog’s Facebook page.

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.

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About the World Vision Holiday Giving SurveyThis poll was conducted by telephone within the United States and Canada by Harris Interactive on behalf of World Vision, Inc. between November 9 and November 13, 2012 among 1,012 U.S. adults ages 18+, and between November 8 and November 12, 2012 among 1,000 Canadian adults 18+. (For complete methodology contact John Yeager.)

About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. World Vision serves the world’s poor regardless of a person’s religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information please visit www.worldvision.org/press. Or follow them on Twitter at @worldvisionnews.