Amina + 5

It started on a whim at a wedding reception.

We were sitting at a table with a few strangers and an awkward silence. Ignoring the look of embarrassment on my wife’s face, I decided it was my chance to test an idea that had been running through my head, but had never moved forward. “How many of you have gift cards in your wallet or purse that have been sitting in there for more than 6 months? You know, the ones that are starting to stick together from being there so long?” Of course, everyone gave an affirmative head nod. “What if you give them to us and we promised to give them to people in need?” They emptied their wallets and we walked away with $50 in Gift Cards and a new responsibility called GiftCardGiver.com.

After testing our theory in this small social experiment, we started researching and learned that the Gift Card industry has risen to be a $60 billion a year industry. Ever wonder how many of those Gift Cards are unused every year? Between 10-15% are never redeemed. That means $6 billion dollars are waiting to be used for good but sitting on Gift Cards in America alone.  A new form of giving has emerged in our culture and we think there is an opportunity to give hundreds of thousands of dollars away in the years ahead.

Giving opportunities happen at the least convenient times.  On December 23, just two nights before Christmas, we got a call from a friend informing us of a single working mother with five children named Amina who had just had her home broken into in a South Atlanta neighborhood.  She lost all the Christmas presents she had purchased for her children, children’s clothes hanging in the closet, food from the pantry, and even the decorated Christmas tree. While we were dreaming about what we were going to open under our tree in the coming days, she lost everything. Within 24 hours, because of a community of people giving small gift cards from around the country we were able to change her unfortunate situation. We went to Wal-Mart and Target and were able to buy new clothes, new toys, new coats and new shoes for all five children, plus give a Gift Card to restock the kitchen with essential groceries.

A hole in the drywall from where the door was kicked in greeted us that day. Amina’s clothes were still thrown all over her bedroom since she’d been focused on her children. The tears streaming down her face as she told us her story and received our simple gifts are worth more than any gift I have ever received at Christmas. She called us angels, and we were touched immensely by the sacredness of the moment.

How many unused Gift Cards do you have? We guess you have at least five dollars of gift cards in your wallet or purse right now. Your five dollars can give families like Amina’s a glimpse of hope in the midst of the harsh injustices of our broken world. So, please send us your small gift that is making a bid difference in others lives. Thanks for joining a new community of giving.

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