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From the category archives:
in lieu of gifts
how inlu works
If you have used Inlu to collect for any gift, any charity or both, you know there are endless ideas out there. So many great gifts can be given by simplifying and streamlining the process! If you’ve never used Inlu but have wondered, what the heck are people collecting for ?, here’s a fabulous list of gifts and collections that will inspire you to collect for something awesome: something your friends, family members or yes, even you’d really love.
1. First House Deposit
2. iPad
3. Skateboard
4. Dollhouse
5. Legos
6. Design Your Own Converse
7. Tech Pen
8. Spa Treatments
9. Airplane Tickets
10. Camera Lenses
11. Bulk purchases
12. Tap Shoes and Tap Dance Lessons
13. Vespa Riding Outfit
14. Flowers
15. Wheelchair ramp
16. Medical Assistance Funds
18. Broadway Play Tickets
19. A Day At The Mac Store (gift certificate)
20. An Olympic Hopeful’s Training Fund
21. Fish Aquarium
22. A New Business Start Up Fund
23. Travel Funds for a Middle School National Championship Game
24. Drumset (and Headphones!)
25. Double Strollers and Infant Car Seats
Want to try it?
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Our users have supported MANY charities in several IN LIEU OF contexts, like:
In lieu of gifts, send gift monies (in one sum!) to help a cause. In lieu of collecting many small checks, pool contributions together for one easy fundraiser! In lieu of wasting $ on wrapping paper, they’ve pitched in smaller amounts as a group to give back to the planet. In lieu of bake sales, users have simply created an Inlu to support schools, nonprofits and more.Here’s a list of 25 randomly selected charities, causes and planet-happy ways our users have given back to help others:
- Best Friends Animal Society, Utah
- Cheetah Conservation Fund
- Burlington City Arts
- NOFA Farmer Emergency Fund
- Donation to the “Church they were married in…” St. Patick’s Cathedral
- Autism Speaks
- Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
- U.S. Luge Association/ I Slide 4 Nodar
- Visiting Nurses of Vermont
- Dayton Children’s Hospital, OH
- Kennedy’s Cord Foundation, KY
- Alzheimer’s Association
- New England Center For Homeless Veterans
- Sutter Aubrurn VNA Hospice
- Life Rolls On
- Homocide Survivors Fund, AZ
- Camp Dudley William J. Schmidt Scholarship Fund
- Champion Against Bullying
- Children’s Hunger Fund
- Teaching Tolerance, AL
- Intertribal Friendship House
- Pennies For Peace
- Ashlee’s Charity for Junior National Young Leaders
- Discovery Charter School
- Southeast Valley Youth Football, AZ
Want to create an IN LIEU OF charity collection? Visit inlu.com and
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Group Gift Ideas…
The team at ecofabulous found a gem of a group gift with this portable fireplace and portable lamps. I can truly say this is one of the coolest gifts we’ve seen yet! It’s an unbelievably hip, trance-inducing gift for a couple or perhaps parents around the holidays? It might not be tempting now, since it’s still August BUT with the fall months just ahead (I know, believe it or not, the cool weather will arrive!) it’s nice to have something spectacular in mind.
“BrasaFire’s collection of elegant ventless fires burn using denatured alcohol (or bioethanol), a renewable source of energy derived from agricultural products like sugar, potatoes, corn and beetroot. With a variety of sleek stainless steel, high temperature ceramic and glass vessels sure to ignite your inner design sense, sustainability isn’t sacrificed for style. The low level of emissions, just steam and a small amount of CO2 (no smoke or other harmful emissions) means that this classy form of entertainment is as easy on the hostess as it is on the planet. Aside from a variety of portable fireplaces ($415-$625) like the Avani and Camden the , BrasaFire portable fire lamps will bring heat, light and class to any surrounding ($165-265).”
I know a couple getting hitched next spring and this is a top contender. I’m thinking of asking a handful of friends to pitch in and get this together! They’ll ALL love it.
Check out OUR previous post featuring recycled firepits by John Unger!
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photo via ecorazzi
In a recent photo shoot, Angelina Jolie is said to have given up her $10million dollar Louis Vuitton paycheck to benefit Cambodia! (Visit Ecorazzi for the full scoop). We say, that’s cool and oh-so-inspiring. Plus, if she can do that, we can all give up a few bucks “in lieu of” wrapping paper and/or excess to benefit a cause, right?
Not inspired enough? This year she and her hubby, Brad, gave $2 million the Naankuse Wildlife Sanctuary in Namibia. “The gift was made in honor of their daughter Shiloh, who was born in country.” I bet they’d be jazzed about our Inlu users, don’t you think? I mean really, kids giving back to save cheetahs (while getting a gift) or friends supporting causes as a group in honor of someone special, or group gifting to curb landfill while giving something awesome? I think we’d all get along in the happy planet bubble. At least I like to think so!
Here’s the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation website, complete with contact info. Don’t forget the United Nations if you’re looking for similar causes in the Jolie-Pitt avenue. Or dive in more and snoop around looktothestars.org and see which charities Angelina has helped in the past.
PS Of course, if you get the chance to make $10 million, it’s probably a good idea to keep a good chunk of it! LUCKY. (Fine print: Inlu has no affiliation or promotional ties to Angelina or her causes! She’s just cool).
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Spring is here (almost?) and summer vacation is just around the muddy corner. As the bulbs burst and the buds open, it’s about time to start thinking teacher appreciation gifts. We know teachers are unique and wonderful, so, in lieu of mugs and apple covered stationary, why not collect as a group and give something she or he will totally enjoy. Here are some great ideas:
1. Curriculum-Related Gift: Select a topic your child’s class studied (a culture, a species, etc). Create an Inlu to support a non-profit organization relating to that topic (education support in that culture, etc) and find a nice ‘coffee table’ book also relating that the teacher can choose to either have at home, or use if future years in class.
2. Park Bench: For about $200 you can buy a nice park bench at places like Lowe’s, and for about $20 or less have a small plaque inscribed with a dedication message. Teachers (with permission from the school) can keep their bench in the playground or even in their classroom. How to do this, you ask? Simply create a GIFT Inlu. Direct the funds to go to a parent who is willing to purchase the bench in advance to make sure there is one in stock! You can also add a charity and set a GIFT CAP to ensure that only the amount needed for the bench and plaque is collected.
3. Summer Barbecue Package: Specialty meat shops (like The Shelburne Meat Market, in Shelburne, VT) offer amazing – but rather pricey barbecue deliciousness. A group gift certificate can give your favorite teacher and his/her family a wonderful summertime treat! This of course can be a limitless GIFT collection. Or you can set a GIFT CAP and add a charity too.
4. Car Detailing: Do you live in a snowy climate? A good spring/summer car cleaning is such a treat! It generally costs at least $100 for a through detail. Add a charity – perhaps one that helps those in need get the transportation they need to get to work. (Check out the Good News Garage as an example)
5. Gardner’s Delight Package: A gift certificate to a gardening shop is perfect for summer! (Check out Gardener’s Supply)
6. Local Farmer’s Market: Many local Farmer’s Markets sell gift certificates that can be used through out the summer – yum! A great way to support local farmers and crafts people. And hey, your kid’s may run into their teachers there. (Yes teachers do grocery shop too!)
7. Farm Share: Its not cheap to buy a summer share from a farm crop – but if you divide the cost among students families, voila! Plus, it’s delicious.
8. Local Theater Gift Certificate: Whether its for a year’s worth of movies, or a theatrical performance, the gift of art is always appreciated.
9. Dinner at an Upscale Restaurant: Fancy, specialty restaurants can be quite pricey. Pitching in together allows your child’s teacher to have room for dessert (and wine perhaps, but we’ll never know:).
10. Books for Teacher & Community: A gift certificate to a bookstore (either online or a local shop) for teacher + a donation to a book related non-profit to help children around the world is very special. Check out Reading.Org
11. Spa Day!!! Enough said. (Aaaahhhhh)
12. Personal Trainer: The gift of health & wellness can go a long way.
13. Health Club Boost: If you know that your child’s teacher goes to a certain gym, tennis club, golf club, yoga studio, look into buying a gift certificate they can either use to supplement their membership or use in the gift shop, for a day with a pro, or the snack bar. Keeping our teachers healthy helps us all!
14. Day of Shopping: Support a local business with a gift certificate to a favorite clothing boutique.
15. Credit Gift Card to do whatever they want! Credit gift cards can be used for home improvements, travel expenses, you name it! Check out giftcards.com to make a personalized Visa/Mastercard.
Inlu makes it easy to group gift something special for your child’s teacher. Oh, and did we mention how easy it is for the parents to pitch in? It’s super easy. Try it!
(We’re here to help if you have questions, comments or thoughts.) See exactly why Inlu LOVES schools, here.
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