How you can help children of incarcerated parents during the holidays

(ARA) – Drug abuse. Divorce. Homelessness. Imprisonment. Little Forrest has witnessed them all. With his father in prison and his mom lost in a haze of drug abuse, Forrest’s maternal grandparents took custody of him when he was just 2 years old. For Forrest, his dad’s prison sentence seemed like a punishment for him, too.

Due to his difficult start in life, Forrest had many behavioral issues, so his grandparents worked hard every day to provide him with love and stability he needed. But as Christmas neared, Forrest’s grandmother Bonnie began to worry. If Forrest’s mom didn’t visit, or his dad didn’t call, Forrest’s behavior would regress.

Forrest’s struggles are not uncommon. One in three prisoners is a parent, and about 75 percent of women in prison are mothers. One in every 43 children has a parent in prison, which means more than 1.7 million children will spend Christmas separated from their incarcerated mom or dad.

“Every time a parent goes to prison, their sentence is also a form of punishment for their children. These kids don’t necessarily understand why their parents are not with them for the holidays. They only want to be with their parents, and to feel their parents’ love, just as any other child would during this special time of year,” says Jim Liske, CEO of Prison Fellowship, a nonprofit organization that helps inmate rehabilitation.

Children whose parents are serving time struggle every day with feelings of anger, abandonment, loneliness and despair. But a simple Christmas gift from their incarcerated parent can show a hurting child that they are still loved, and that the parent-child connection can survive the separation of imprisonment.

Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree is a unique program that works by connecting parents in prison with their children through the delivery of Christmas gifts. At such a critical time in Forrest’s journey, Angel Tree connected him with his father – helping to make sure that he stayed on a path toward healing and stability.

“We got a call that Forrest’s dad was sending Christmas gifts through Angel Tree,” Bonnie says. “It was just so nice to have people supporting us.”

Today, Forrest’s mother is working on turning her life around and restoring her relationship with her son. Forrest’s dad will be released from prison soon. He, too, has vowed to turn his life around and be a faithful father.

Support Angel Tree by “liking” Angel Tree on Facebook. You can even give a secure gift through the charity’s official website at www.angeltree.org. Just $12.58 will help deliver a Christmas present to not one, but two lonely children thanks to a matching grant.

Your generosity makes it possible for children like Forrest to feel remembered and loved this holiday season. Make a difference in the life of a child by giving them an unforgettable Christmas filled with joy and hope.

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This year, consider some new ways to give good gifts while also supporting the issues most important to you, your friends and your family.

The holidays are always a time for giving, not only of gifts to family and friends, but also to organizations supporting different causes. This year, consider some new ways to give good gifts while also supporting the issues most important to you, your friends and your family.

One way to shop for gifts while supporting important causes is through eBay Giving Works, eBay’s program for charity listings. The program has helped raise more than $150 million for over 15,000 deserving nonprofits worldwide through buying and selling activity on eBay.

On www.ebaygivingworks.com you will find thousands of listings for the perfect gifts that benefit your recipients’ favorite charitable organizations. The possibilities span the gamut of popular items such as brand new skis, jewelry, the latest handbags or electronics, everyday home and garden items to even one-of-a-kind celebrity experiences. And, each charity listing stands out with a unique blue and yellow charity ribbon, so look for this ribbon on eBay when shopping.

Another great way to shop for the people on your list and find good gifts that have a positive impact on people and the environment is through a new marketplace called WorldofGood.com. The site is a one-stop-shop where consumers will find eco-friendly and ethically sourced products, which make distinctive holiday gifts. Holiday shoppers can find organic clothing, accessories and home decor items made from recycled materials, animal-friendly beauty products and even fair trade coffee and chocolate on the site … all perfect ideas for those recipients who seem to have everything or are hard to buy for.

Many of the products on WorldofGood.com are created from recycled, reclaimed and/or sustainable materials. For example, shop for stylish earrings created from vintage bicycle parts, colorful baskets woven from telephone wire, or living room furniture crafted from reclaimed wood, and reduce the impact on our environment with gifts that make use of materials that might otherwise end up in a landfill.

Other gift ideas from the site include unique items such as beautiful scarves and sweaters knitted by Andean women from the hillsides of Peru and gorgeous ceramics created by artisan sculptors from the mountains of Nepal. Giving a gift from WorldofGood.com enables artisans and producers all over the world to provide for their families, preserve cultural traditions and sustain the environment we all live in. Because these artisans are able to earn a fair wage for their products, they receive improved access to good jobs, health care and education.

Make www.ebaygivingworks.com and WorldofGood.com your go-to destinations for everyone on your holiday shopping list, so that you can give good this season and make a positive impact on the world.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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The more you give, the better you may feel, and that means finding ways to give back throughout the year.

The holidays are the season for giving and during times of economic downturn, you may have to dig a bit deeper into your pockets. However, you can still end up better off. In addition to the tax breaks year-end giving can bring, as it turns out, giving is also good for your health.

“Several studies over the years have found links between altruistic behavior and improved physical and psychological health,” says Dr. Ann Vincent, an internal medicine physician at Mayo Clinic who researches the mind-body connection. “In general, I think altruism makes people feel better about themselves, which often translates into improved physical health. Other benefits that have been attributed to positive emotions include: enhanced creativity and ability to cope with stress and broadened cognition. In essence, thinking positively about ourselves is good for our physical and mental health.”

But the benefits of giving, whether in the form of volunteerism or making a donation, aren’t just a one-time deal. The more you give, the better you may feel, and that means finding ways to give back throughout the year. Generosity is also a wonderful survival skill to help you get through difficult times in your life.

“Recent studies have examined individuals who have survived trauma, natural disasters and being prisoners of war,” says Dr. Edward T. Creagan, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic. According to Creagan, people who seem to thrive in adversity have many characteristics in common, but especially a few:

* A sense of connectedness. The recognition that family and community are crucial to survival.
* A sense of altruism, somehow sharing of themselves to make the lives of others a little bit better.
* An optimistic attitude and sense of humor.

If you have trouble motivating yourself to give time, money or goods, focus on how giving back can benefit you. “There is a ‘helper’s high’ that people sometimes say they feel in connection with altruism/philanthropy,” says Vincent. “But that initial euphoria is also sometimes followed by a longer-lasting period of improved emotional well-being.”

Philanthropy can also have positive effects that help people maintain or improve their physical and mental health. It often creates broader social networks, which can help people cope with stress and anxiety, and it can provide a sense of purpose and empowerment.

The emotional and physical benefits of philanthropy may be even more significant right now. Nonprofit organizations everywhere are increasingly looking for charitable individuals to partner with them in their goals for the future. Mayo Clinic, a not-for-profit organization, is one of the world’s premier medical treatment and research facilities and is currently conducting a campaign to transform patient care, research and education. The gifts they receive now are an investment in future generations of those needing medical care and those studying medicine.

For more information on how giving can make a life-changing impact, visit www.mayoclinic.org/campaign.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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