Gifts with a Purpose Available at Short Hills Mall

When you're mall hopping next week trying to tie up every loose pre-holiday bow, several Short Hills stores are offering opportunities to snag great gifts with great style and that also offer opportunities to engage in philanthropy.  

And if you're wondering why we listed stores offering gift cards with purchase, it's because gift cards are always welcome as donations, said Millburn-Short Hills Chapter of the Red Cross Executive Director Barbara Allora.  They can always be put to good use.

"Everyday donations are significantly down because of the economy," she said. "The number of families coming here for help is increasing at the same time that we're seeing this decrease in donations. People are coming to our food pantry, families are hoping for gifts, including toys, clothing or candy for their children."

If you're interested in purchasing Shop Rite or Kings gift cards as donations or as gifts, check with local churches and synagogues, such as Christ Church and B'nai Israel. If you purchase cards this way, the organization will receive a percentage of the purchase price.

• Abercrombie:  Receive a $25 gift card with every $100 purchase. 
• Aveda:  Purchase an Aveda Gift Set and help support charitable efforts in Nepal.
• Body Shop:  When you purchase Soft Hands Kind Heart Hand Cream, $6 of the $10 purchase will be donated to End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT).
• Bulgari:  Bulgari has created a special ring in commemoration of their 125 anniversary.  With every ring purchase, $60 will go to the Save the Children's "Rewrite the Future" campaign. 
• Furla:  When you purchase an item from the Love Difference collection, 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated the the Love Difference Foundation.
• Godiva:  Receive a $10 gift card with every $50 purchase.
• Gucci:  Gucci has a fifth anniversary Gucci Campaign to benefit UNICEF and will donate 25 percent of the retail price of each item from the collection sold. 
• Hollister:  Receive a $25 gift card with every $75 purchase. 
• Jimmy Choo: When you purchase an item from the Project Pep collection, 25 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
• Madewell:  Donate your used denim to Madewell and enjoy a 15 percent discount on your next purchase of denim in the new year.  All donations will be sent to Arts Connection.
• Nordstrom Giving Tree:  You can pick a tag and fulfill the wish of a needy area child. Find details at customer service. 
• Piazza Sempione:  When you make a purchase Piazza Sempione will make a donation to Progetto Sorriso nel Mondo (Smile Project in the World).
• Satya:  When you purchase an EB Butterfly necklace, the Satya Foundation will donate 100 prcent of the proceeds to Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation. The organization aims to find a cure for a rare childhood skin disease Satya and also donates a percentage of all sales to children's organizations through the Satya Foundation. 
• Solstice:  Receive a $50 gift card with every $195 purchase. 
• Starbucks:  Every time you pay for coffee using a Starbucks Red Card, the company will donate $.05 to the Global Fund to Help Save Lives in Africa.

Also located in town, the Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation gives the opportunity to shop for a cure and pick up authentic and Superman-related items.