Every church wants to be generous at Christmas, but what if it could do more with a toy than just put it under the tree?
What is Giftmart?
Giftmart partners churches with local schools and businesses to support under-resourced neighborhoods. Through the “Christmas Store” model, Giftmart provides an opportunity to safeguard dignity by inviting parents of partner schools to select and purchase gifts for their children at a discounted price. Giftmart proceeds go back into the local school, empowering communities to purchase needed educational items like library books, computers, and musical instruments. We’ve re-imagined the holiday gift charity model. Won’t you join us by harnessing your community’s generosity to make toys do more? Bring giftmart to your community today.
Join us by harnessing your community’s generosity to make toys do more! Bring giftmart to your community today!
The Story
The vision for Giftmart began when Kirsten Strand, the Director of Community 4:12, heard the story of a woman giving an under-resourced family gifts at Christmas and witnessed the parents disappointment as they could not provide those gifts for their children. Seeking a better alternative, Kirsten researched the “Christmas Store” philosophy she had seen in other communities that provided parents the opportunity to choose and purchase toys for their children and support the local school.
The first Giftmart was held in December of 2003 and served 750 parents. Community Christian Church provided more than 100 volunteers and donated 1,200 new toys to stock the shelves. Partnering together, the two communities not only put toys under the tree for families but also invested $820 back into the local school.
Since 2003, Community 412 has held Giftmarts each December and has expanded to multiple locations and now shares their resources with organizations who wish to implement this model in their own communities.
Benefits of Giftmart
- Safeguards dignity by providing an opportunity for low-income parents to select and purchase gifts for their own children.
- Unites people across cultural, racial and economic divides.
- Creates partnership opportunities between the church and the local school.
- Creates an opportunity for low-income communities to fund their local schools.
- Strengthens the parent-local school relationship.
- Introduces church members to the needs of their local community.
- Provides a springboard to more relational, long-term volunteering.
- Harnesses the generosity of the entire community to accomplish more than just putting toys under a Christmas tree.
- Safeguards dignity by providing an opportunity for low-income parents to select and purchase gifts for their own children.
- Unites people across cultural, racial and economic divides.
- Creates partnership opportunities between the church and the local school.
- Creates an opportunity for low-income communities to fund their local schools.
- Strengthens the parent-local school relationship.
- Introduces church members to the needs of their local community.
- Provides a springboard to more relational, long-term volunteering.
- Harnesses the generosity of the entire community to accomplish more than just putting toys under a Christmas tree.
Start a Giftmart
Giftmart is a great platform to engage your church or organization to bring hope and change to needy communities. We want to support you through this journey. We walk with you every step of the way. Click below to fill out a short form and download the free Giftmart Guide. From pre-event checklists to advertising the event, we provide you all the information you need to bring a giftmart to your community this holiday season.
Contact
Eric Dorsey
Community Christian Church
(630) 388-5000 email Eric