The holidays are really an interesting dichotomy. On one hand, I get completely caught up in the songs, the decorations, the shopping and the gift-giving, but on the other, I find myself thinking about the less fortunate all of the time. You can really become inundated (and a little overwhelmed, actually) with all of the wonderful charities during the holiday season, but one that has really resonated with me as a mother is the Unicef Inspired Gifts program.

In 2007, UNICEF launched the Inspired Gifts program to give consumers the opportunity to purchase actual lifesaving items for children in need. Thanks to this program and others like it, childhood mortality rates worldwide have been reduced from 25,500 to 24,000 children per day over the past three years, but UNICEF will not stop until that number is zero.

Many of the lifesaving Inspired Gifts cost only a fraction of what Americans spend on gifts, decorations and celebrations during the holiday season. Check out some examples:

• The cost of one stamp to mail a holiday card can purchase 44 Vitamin A capsules that are used to prevent and treat Vitamin A deficiency as well as measles complications.

• The cost of one box of candy canes can purchase 1,250 water purification tablets (each tablet can treat 4-5 liters of water enabling children to drink and wash safely).

• The cost of one roll of wrapping paper can purchase 50 auto-disable syringes so that children can be immunized with safe equipment.

• The costs of one holiday wreath can purchase one School-in-a-bag kit, which contains individual school supplies for 40 students and one teacher.

If you are looking for a wonderful program to help the less fortunate around the world, check out Unicef’s Inspired Gifts website**. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

**You are leaving the FilterForGood Web site. The Brita Products® Company is not responsible for the content or data collection of that independent site.