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We all know the conundrum that is Christmas.
The fun that becomes the hassle of finding that perfect gift. The holiday spirit that gets worn down by all the commercialism. And, of course, what to get for your favorite aunt who has everything.
It doesn't have to be that way. There's an alternative that can help you with your gift dilemma and give hope to others.
The second "Gifts That Give Hope" alternative gift fair will be held 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Farm and Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road. More than 40 local and global nonprofit organizations will participate; at the fair, shoppers can meet and learn about nonprofit organizations, make a donation to a cause of their choice in honor of a friend or loved one, and receive a card with a description of their "gift," the Gifts That Give Hope Web site notes.
Last year, more than $30,000 was raised to benefit some 29 nonprofit agencies in the county. This year, "gift items" include $15 donations to help children at the Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster; $8 donations to provide seeds and seedlings for at-risk youth participating in agricultural programs through the Threshold Foundation; and $35 contributions to provide one-on-one counseling for a single mother to improve parenting skills through Bridge of Hope.
Other nonprofits that benefit include Church World Service, which aids refugee families settling in Lancaster County; the Mennonite Central Committee, Milagro House and the Tommy Foundation, which assists parents of children with autism.
"People say, 'Oh, you're supporting poor people,' but it's beyond that," said Roger Godfrey, of Central Market's Rafiki food stand. "It's empowering disadvantaged communities."
For Godfrey, the fair has a personal meaning. A native of Uganda, he and his wife, Dorothy Dulo, founded the Rafiki Africa Foundation, which works with the Luo community of Kenya, which has been severely affected by HIV and AIDS. Kenya is Dulo's home country. Godfrey hope that this year's fair will draw a bigger turnout, as more people have become familiar with the event since last year. The fair, he said, "gives a better understanding" of nonprofits and their needs.
For information, visit
GiftsThatGiveHope.org and click "find a fair."
In addition to shopping opportunities, the fair will feature items from local food vendors, including Rafiki's, Rachel's Creperie, Lonely Monk Coffee, Spyro Gyro, Cocina Mexicana and Wendy Jo's Homemade. Below is a list of speakers for the day:
•10:30 a.m., Peter Greer, president, HOPE International, co-author of "The Poor Will Be Glad."
•11 a.m., Sugey Cruz-Everts, Richard Everts, founders of The Tommy Foundation.
•11:30 a.m., Christi Hoover Seidel, of Open Bethlehem, author of "Bethlehem Star."
•12:30 p.m., Asmaa Abdulateef, employment specialist, Church World Service/Lancaster, and recent refugee from Iraq.
•1 p.m., Dorothy Dulo, Roger Godfrey, founders/directors, Rafiki Africa Foundation.
•1:30 p.m., Kashif Khan, medical student, Penn State Hershey College of Medicine and a volunteer with Partners In Health.
Stephen Kopfinger is a Sunday News staff writer. Contact him at skopfinger@lnpnews.com or at 291-8799.
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