2022

KOIN: ‘Gifts that give back’: Non-profit fights for global elephant rescue

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Despite a ban on international trade in ivory, elephants around the world are still being poached in large numbers.

However, organizations like The Elephant Project, has helped aid in the rescue, rehabilitation, and protection of hundreds of elephants globally.

“I started The Elephant Project just to create awareness and funds for elephants globally because I felt like if we don’t do something now, they will go extinct in the very near future,” said Kristina McKean, The Elephant Project Founder. “Thousands of elephants are being held or captured every year and it’s become a huge problem and I wanted them to be around for generations to come.”

With a background in product development design, McKean said she wanted to create a product to help bring awareness and funds to elephant rescue efforts and “teach children everywhere that they can help and make a difference and be the voice for the voiceless.”

To aid this effort, The Elephant Project sells stuffed animal elephants with 100% of the net proceeds going to organizations “fighting the poaching crisis,” according to the project website.

“The Elephant Project, these are gifts that give back…this holiday season it’s really important to give a gift that gives back and it’s a really small way of making a change,” McKean said.

To help save elephants, McKean also encourages everyone to not ride elephants, take selfies with endangered animals or visit roadside zoos or circuses.

McKean also encourages children of all ages to “use your voice when you see something that doesn’t look right or something on social media to speak up because that actually can be very, very powerful.”

KMOV4: Christmas gifts for everyone on your holiday list

Our Style Expert Alison Deyette joined us with several holiday gift suggestions. For more info on the gifts and style expert Alison Deyette, visit her website or follow @alisondeyette. Baby Chaba elephant plushie, TheElephantProject.com Crafted non-alcoholic alternatives, drinkfreespirits.com Various Games from Nuttheads.com SLF LED Smart Tablet Mirror from JCP.com

VegNews: 23 Vegan Gift Ideas for the Hard-to-Shop-For on Your List

From DIY culinary kits to gifts that give back, check everyone off your list with these 23 exceptional vegan gifts. 

While some get a certain thrill from last-minute holiday shopping, this is not the year to procrastinate. Given the expected holiday shipping delays, it’s essential to shop early—unless you prefer to host your gift exchange in February. 

Thankfully, this guide has something for everyone on your list, no matter how difficult that person is to shop for, and you can do it all from the cozy comfort of your home. With convenient online shopping, there are no pushy holiday crowds or parking nightmares to endure. You may even get some inspiration and add a few more items to your personal wish list as you leisurely scroll and click “add to cart.” From kitchen tools to creative DIY projects, here are 23 fun, practical, and totally unique gifts to give this year. 

For the little ones on your list, gift a snuggly elephant that gives back. One hundred percent of the proceeds from these adorable stuffed animals go toward organizations that combat the poaching crisis or care for injured and abused elephants. 

Thrifty Nifty Mommy: The BEST Gifts for Kids Who Love Animals – Over 40 Gift Ideas!

If you’re shopping for gifts for kids who love animals, you’ve come to the right place! My kids are animal lovers. Truly, they just LOVE animals!

They love to visit the zoo and often play with animal toys at our house. We have 2 dogs, a hamster, and a fish, and they love their pets so much. I know that lots of other children love animals too, so today I wanted to share a list of the BEST gifts for kids who love animals. 

Since you’re shopping for gifts, you may also like these unicorn toys, stocking stuffers for kids, gifts for kids who love arts and crafts, gifts to get kids active, and these gifts for preschoolers.


Save The Herd: Kiki + Tembo + Baby Chaba Bundle — The Elephant Project

Photo Credit: www.theelephantproject.com

Any child who loves animals is sure to love this gift! Not only are they getting an adorable stuffed elephant, but you can also tell them that when you purchase one of these adorable stuffed elephants, 100% of net proceeds go to various organizations that help aid in fighting the poaching crisis and also provide care to injured, abandoned, orphaned, and abused elephants!

Kiki is an 8" stuffed elephant doll made out of soft grey fabric and a beautiful pink dress. Tembo, meaning 'elephant' in Swahili, is an 8" stuffed elephant doll made out of soft grey fabric and green overalls. Chaba is the newest addition to the herd.

You can purchase these adorable elephants individually or as a group.

The Toy Insider: This Adorable Baby Elephant Plush Helps Real-World Elephants

You can help elephants in the process of finding the perfect gift for the animal-loving kids in your life with the Baby Chaba elephant plushie from the Elephant Project. 

Founded by Kristina McKean, who wanted to improve the lives of elephants held captive in Thailand and circuses in the U.S., The Elephant Project donates 100% of net proceeds to organizations such as The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, The Elephant Cooperation, and Elephant Nature Park.

Kiki was the first elephant plush in the project’s collection, soon followed by Tembo. Both plushies stood at 8 inches tall. But a new, adorably-smaller-sized plush is entering the scene. The Baby Chaba plush, part of the SaveUs collection, is named after the real-world baby elephant Chaba, who currently lives at Elephant Nature Park. She and her mother, Chailert, were rescued together last year. 

The plush Baby Chaba comes with a children’s book that teaches kids about the real Chaba’s story. Proceeds from sales will go to the aforementioned organizations, all focused on ending poaching and providing quality care to elephants. Though the real Chaba won’t be wearing any clothes, the Baby Chaba plush comes wearing a pink polka-dot dress.

The Elephant Project’s plushies are a good chance to give back, with an adorable plush as a bonus. The children’s book and plush both provide an opportunity to teach kids about the treatment of animals and getting involved in causes they care about. The Chaba plush is available now for $39 from The Elephant Project’s website.

The Spruce: The 46 Best Gifts that Give Back of 2022

Our favorite picks from Conscious Step, Uncommon Goods, Parks Project, and more

The holidays are the perfect time to give back, and it's easier than ever to do so with these gifts from your favorite brands that donate a portion to worthy causes.

We researched the best gift-worthy products from notable brands that give back to the community, considering the price, cause, and portion donated. Our favorites include a pink clay mask from Klei Beauty, a personalized photo mug from Shutterfly, and cozy slippersfrom Bombas.

Here, the best gifts that give back.

The Elephant Project

When shopping for gifts for kids, consider an adorable plush friend from The Elephant Project. The Elephant Project sells huggable stuffed elephants like Kiki, who comes adorned with a cute pink dress. 100 percent of the proceeds from the dolls go to various organizations dedicated to caring for and protecting elephants from poachers.

Price at time of publish: $39

Verywell Family: The 38 Best Gifts for 3-Year-Old Girls of 2022

Finding the right gift for a 3-year-old is a delightful task. Full of discovery and blossoming independence, three-year-olds learn about their worldthrough play, often reimagining their experiences, such as playing doctor after a visit to their pediatrician or pretending to be a firefighter. They are also developing cognitively, and by age 3, many children can complete simple puzzles or build towers from blocks.1 That means the world of early toys and games is open to them, and there are many gifts that will make their day.

When buying a gift for a 3-year-old, look for hands-on toys that let them act out real-life scenarios. They may enjoy pushing a baby doll in a toy stroller or serving pretend ice cream in a play kitchen. Dress-up toys also go over quite well, whether they are real-life costumes like a construction worker or fantasy-based characters like Elsa from Frozen. Because 3-year-olds are beginning to move from parallel play to cooperative play, look for toys that will be equally fun played alone or with other children.

When reviewing gifts for 3-year-olds, we considered versatility, developmental milestones, design, safety, and ease of cleaning. We also looked for gifts well suited to a 3-year-old’s interests, such as dramatic play, outdoor activities, and huggable animal friends. 

Based on our reviews, these are the best gifts for 3-year-old girls on the market today. 

Honestly Jaime: HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE: GIFTS THAT GIVE BACK

The Elephant Project Stuffed Animals

I fell in absolute love with elephants after visiting an elephant sanctuary in Thailand – I feel like most people don’t know about the horrible conditions and torture that some elephants go through, and I won’t get into that right now.  Right now is just about The Elephant Project and their mission to save elephants by selling these ADORABLE stuffed animals.  My faves?

Tembo: Tembo, meaning “elephant” in Swahili, is an 8″ stuffed elephant doll made out of soft grey fabric and green overalls.  100% of net proceeds go to various organizations that help aid in fighting the poaching crisis and also provide care to injured, abandoned, orphaned, and abused elephants.

OBA: OBA, meaning “King Ruler” in West Africa, is an 8″ stuffed lion doll made out of soft tan fabric and a white jacket.  100% of net proceeds go to various organizations that help aid in fighting the poaching crisis and also provide care to injured, abandoned, orphaned, and abused big cats.

Voyage Denver: Daily Inspiration: Meet Kristina McKean

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristina McKean.

Hi Kristina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey started a few years back after a trip to Thailand with my family. I was devasted to witness baby elephants on the streets of Bangkok being exploited for money. The mistreatment and abuse of elephants was heartbreaking, and I was outraged to find that this mistreatment carried on in the U.S. Back home, I learned about the widespread issue of circus animal abuse. I was unable to comprehend how animal abuse could be construed as entertainment in any way. After years spent signing petitions, protesting circuses, and creating social media campaigns to help spread awareness surrounding the mistreatment of elephants, I felt propelled to do more. Using my background in product development, I created elephant dolls lovingly named Kiki and Tembo. Each of our dolls comes with an endearing poem and information about the elephant crisis and our mission. The welfare of elephants has now become my passion and life quest.

Over the years, I have grown with The Elephant Project and have turned this passion project into an expanding business. 100% of the net proceeds from the sales of Kiki and Tembo go to various organizations that help aid in fighting the poaching crisis and also provide care to injured, abandoned, orphaned, and abused elephants. The organizations we work with currently include the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the Elephant Nature Park, and Elephant Cooperation. These organizations do hands-on work, providing medical aid, food, and sanctuary to elephants in Thailand and Africa. In addition, a large part of my mission is to spread awareness and education to children of all ages about the elephant crisis. I have expanded The Elephant Project to include other animals in need, such as Big Cats and shelter dogs (coming soon!). I am so grateful for all the support I have received and my elephant-loving community who have helped spread awareness for the elephants and ensure their welfare. I hope to continue to inspire others to make a difference and use their voice for change.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think it’s ever a smooth road when you start a business. I think knowing that there will always be challenges and obstacles makes the journey a little easier. It is a lot of work to source the fabric/material, work on marketing and advertising, and everything else that comes with it. I think it’s all part of the journey and you learn some things that work and some that don’t. I am grateful for all the experiences I have had so far!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I started my company-The Elephant Project because I wanted to create funds and awareness for elephants globally. It’s not just a stuffed animal but a toy that comes with a mission. I am grateful that I have had such an impact on children of every age. Each stuffed animal comes with information about our journey and a little poem. Gifts that have a purpose or give back are essential in our current climate. We must all do our part to give back!

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think the toy/gift industry is slowly changing to gifts that have a purpose…whether it’s helping animals, people or the environment…we all need to be more aware of how we spend or money and time.

Pricing:

  • -$39 per unit

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