#GivingTreeTW. Super dope. You really must experience it for yourself to know how dope it is. 

But let me break it down so you know what’s up. 

The Giving Tree has many names and is done all over the world, but the basic idea is to give a Christmas gift to the less fortunate. Initially we were inspired by the folks at The Key Fitness and collaborated with them to provide gifts to orphanages and children’s hospitals. It was so awesome, we wanted to do more the following year. “What about the schools for the visually impaired and on the spectrum?” We hit those up and started to deliver there. “What about the organizations outside of Taipei?” We got that in the books. “Let’s try and reach 1000 kids!” Boom. Done. “What about the aboriginal organizations deep in the mountains that don’t receive much support at all?” Bet. Checked. 

One year, SALT Collectiv received a call from an organization that specialized in support for terminally ill children. The social worker asked if we could send a gift earlier to one of the kids since the doctor said he only had around 10 days left. That was a no brainer, but here’s the kicker. He asked for a game that wouldn’t even be launched for another week. We must’ve contacted more than 30 stores and even pleaded with the distributor to see if we could get our hands on a copy earlier, but to no avail. The biggest problem wasn’t even getting it earlier, but this game was so popular that there was no guarantee we could even receive one on launch day. What can you do? We placed an order with as many shops as possible. I’m going to skip a lot of the details, but in the end, we got the game into the hands of the child just in time. Let me just say, the smile I saw on his face, is something I will never forget. My eyeballs started to sweat as I cut imaginary onions. The social worker told us after just how much this meant to the child and to all their recipients, since many of the less fortunate kids generally only receive items that the donor chooses to give, often being second-hand items that they no longer want or need.

The #GivingTreeTW campaign is so much more than just giving a Christmas gift. It’s about the connection between the donor and the recipient. The recipient could be from an orphanage, social-welfare organization, specialized school, or hospital. They could range from infants to geriatrics, as many of the elderly we serve entered those organizations when they were children and still need love now as they needed it then. We have the opportunity to ask each of them directly what’s the one thing they want the most. Obviously, we won’t be getting them a spaceship to mars (that was an actual wish, but we unfortunately had to ask them to wish for something else), but it’s a chance for them to feel that someone truly cares. We could’ve got the kid another game, but that just wouldn’t have been the same. SALT Collectiv has so many stories, and we’ve seen how individuals personally experiencing Giving Tree leaves them inspired and encouraged to participate year after year and even wanting to be more involved. That lasting imprint and impact is what SALT Collectiv is all about. 

See you at the next #GivingTreeTW! 😉 

How it works: 

1.) Follow us on IG/FB for the next launch event date.
2.) Come to the #GivingTreeTW event and pick a card from the Christmas Tree.
3.) Register it at the booth before you leave to buy the gift.
4.) Wrap it up and bring it to our drop-off address within the specified timeframe.
5.) If you want to be more involved, hit us up! 

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1.) Are there Christmas gift drives in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv hosts an annual #GivingTreeTW campaign, which is about spreading the Christmas spirit to the underprivileged and marginalized of Taiwan. We partner with multiple recipient organizations around Taiwan to serve over 1000 orphans, cancer & HIV kids, and mentally and physically handicapped. You can get involved by sponsoring a gift for someone in need and help to spread joy and love to those overlooked or underserved in society. Follow us on Facebook and IG for more information on what’s to come in 2022!

2.) Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT Kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come checkout our community and join the movement.  

I have lived in Taiwan for 16 years and for many of those, I have tried to find a way to get involved in the greater community. As a foreigner, this had been difficult as I don’t speak the language and don’t know how to contact organizations. One day I came across the SALT Collectiv on Facebook.  After doing some research about the organization online, I took a chance and signed up for the #GivingTreeTW event in November 2021.  

As my birthday was approaching, all I wanted was to do some service with my husband and daughter…so this is what I asked for as my birthday present!  As we arrived at the event location, we were welcomed by SALT Collectiv volunteers and shown our stations where we would be selling t-shirts and overseeing the photo booth.

As vendors arrived, I began to truly understand what the event was about.  Local vendors sell their wares to support a great cause; providing Christmas gifts for underprivileged and marginalized around the island (specifically orphans, cancer & HIV kids, and mentally and physically handicapped). As people arrived, showing their support for the community, they began choosing gift tags from the Christmas tree and supporting the local businesses.  Suddenly the carols broke out and people joined in the singing – real Christmas spirit!  At the end of our volunteer session, we had a chance to choose our own gift tags and were excited to be able to provide a gift for a child.

When I signed up to volunteer at #GivingTreeTW, I also offered to drive and deliver gifts to the children.  This was truly the highlight of the experience for me.  Often we give money or volunteer to help man a booth, but rarely have I had the chance to see an experience like this to the end.  Getting to see the smiles on the faces of the children as they opened their gifts, filled my heart! I knew then that SALT Collectiv was an organization that would do great things for others and I wanted to be a part of it!

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1.) Are there Christmas gift drives in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv hosts an annual #GivingTreeTW campaign, which is about spreading the Christmas spirit to the underprivileged and marginalized of Taiwan. We partner with multiple recipient organizations around Taiwan to serve over 1000 orphans, cancer & HIV kids, and mentally and physically handicapped. You can get involved by sponsoring a gift for someone in need and help to spread joy and love to those overlooked or underserved in society. Follow us on Facebook and IG for more information on what’s to come in 2022!

2.) Is it possible to volunteer with children in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv welcomes and encourages children of all ages to participate in our volunteer events. However, parents will be solely responsible for the actions, behavior, and whereabouts of their children.

3.) Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT soup kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come check out our community and join the movement.