World of Gifts is PWRDF’s seasonal gift-giving campaign that allows you to alleviate poverty, promote sustainability, and support communities in need in Canada and around the world.
This year, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, when you purchase any item from the World of Gifts guide, your gift will be matched, up to a total of $110,000! (The match applies to all gifts except for support of PWRDF’s equity in the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, which is matched up to four times by the Government of Canada.)
“We’re extremely grateful to this generous long-time supporter,” says Carolyn Cummins, Director of Fundraising and Supporter Relations. “We know that people love the idea of doubling their impact, so we’re confident this will be really compelling to people.”
That’s not the only new development this year. If you’re familiar with World of Gifts, you might also notice that the gift guide looks a little different, both online and in print. PWRDF has launched a brand-new online store, designed to make the user experience more seamless. The physical gift guide has also been revamped, with a more compact size that is easier to navigate and tote along with you. The guide is distributed in the October, November and December issues of Anglican Life/Anglican Journal, and additional copies can also be ordered at [email protected].
This year’s gifts cover a wide range of themes, from training citizen journalists to share stories about the environment, to teaching women to raise bees to increase financial and food security. If you’re looking for teamwork, this year’s guide also offers many opportunities for group collaboration. Parishes can work together to purchase a well with a solar-powered pump or a hand pump, bringing clean water to drought-stricken communities in Kenya. You can also “buy the whole farm,” which includes the ever-popular goats, vegetable seeds, garden tools, training, an egg incubator and food security initiatives across eight countries.
The countries include Guatemala and Mexico, where your gift will support farmers in 12 Tzeltal and Q’eqchi´ Indigenous communities. They will learn about sustainable agriculture, empowering them to achieve food security through the sale of local produce.
The Rt. Rev’d Sam Rose and Archdeacon Charlene Taylor, from the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador, had the opportunity to visit this new Guatemalan partner, ODIGUA. “The staff who administer these projects are passionate about the work they do,” said Taylor. “We were blessed to visit a farming project that grows organic vegetables that not only feeds families but also provides income from the sale of excess produce,” says Taylor. “We received the gift of hospitality from a farmer and his family who invited us to his home and served us tea and soup.”
No matter what you choose to purchase this year, you will be giving a gift that makes a world of difference in the lives of people and communities around the world.
Learn more about PWRDF’s World of Gifts and view the online store at pwrdf.org/worldofgifts.
