Last Minute Gift Idea That Supports Communities in Need Around...( Online convenience makes the fully ta...),Health

Online convenience makes the fully tax-deductible charitable gift a great holiday idea

PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 17/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Global relief and development organization Mercy Corps offers gift-givers unique charitable gift options -- Mercy Kits.

These gifts provide the opportunity to share and support a commitment or cause -- such as hunger or climate change -- with their loved ones while making a fully tax-deductible donation to Mercy Corps' global humanitarian programs.

Each Mercy Kit recipient receives an attractive personalized card from the friend, family member or co-worker who purchased the kit. The card describes a program the donation supports. Cards can be e-mailed or printed, making Mercy Kits a perfect last minute gift idea. The buyer will also receive a receipt for tax-deduction purposes.

For 2008, we're offering eight new kits, a wider price range to fit every budget, and all new card designs.

"With Mercy Kits, gift-givers can thoughtfully pay tribute to friends and loved ones while helping alleviate poverty in communities around the world," says Caitlin Carlson, Communications Officer for Mercy Corps.

Mercy Corps makes holiday shopping easy with a Mercy Kit online gift catalog offering more than 20 options as low as $16 at www.mercycorps.org/mercykits that include:

• New for 2008 - Emergency Food Kit: Quickly delivers nutritious food to families displaced by conflict, natural disasters or other causes ($18).
• New for 2008 - Fuel-Efficient Stove Kit: Teaches women in war-torn Congo to build fuel-efficient cookstoves that reduce charcoal use and gives them a marketable skill. ($16).
• Climate Change Kit: Provides seed money fo
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