The Charitable Side of Washington: Holiday Cards

Holiday cards can bring joy to more than their recipients. This year, send season’s greetings to friends while supporting local charities. Here are a few organizations offering holiday cards this winter.

GLOBAL ACTION FOR CHILDREN
zolo.com/globalaction.html | 202-589-0808
The organization: DC-based GAC supports orphans and other vulnerable children in developing countries by increasing funding from governments of wealthy nations around the world. GAC is supported by organizations including the Jolie-Pitt Foundation (Angelina Jolie is honorary board chair).
The cards: Simple, colorful holiday cards to benefit GAC. Printed by Typecast Press on tree-free Crane’s Lettra 100-percent recovered cotton paper.
Price: $24 for a set of four.

PRISONS FOUNDATION
prisonsfoundation.org/holidaycards.html | 202-393-1511
The organization: The Prisons Foundation promotes arts and education in prisons. President Helen Thorne says the artwork is a reminder that inmates across the country “possess talent and worth and should not be forgotten. Especially around the holidays, but also throughout the year, our hearts must remain open to them. We should do this not only for humanitarian reasons but because 95 percent will return home someday to be our neighbors.”
The cards: Colorful 5½-by-8-inch cards spotlight the work of incarcerated artists Michael Jewell and Todd Mitchell. Jewell is serving a life sentence in a Texas prison, where he paints acrylic abstracts. Leavitt created a series of seasonal-themed watercolor tempera paintings from his Nevada prison.
Price: $12 for a pack of eight.

WVSA ARTS CONNECTION
wvsarts.org| 202-296-9100
The organization: Formerly Washington Very Special Arts, WVSA Arts Connection aims to provide an arts-infused education to children and young adults with special needs.
The cards: An assortment of colorful children’s paintings. Choose from snowmen, evergreens, angels, and more. WVSA students are involved with every aspect of card orders, from printing to wrapping to sending. Large prints are available in addition to cards.
Price: $20 for ten cards; $35 for 20; $80 for 50; $150 for 100; $750 for 1,000.