In the spirit of giving, many local organizations offer community members the opportunity to donate goods to local causes.

Below is a list of organizations seeking donations during the holiday season.

The Redmond Thrift Store employs 25 individuals with disabilities. You can support the store by shopping, donating and visiting with the employees. New or used items are accepted as donations. The store’s Christmas wish list includes chairs (nonfolding), bookcases, bulletin boards, office chairs, work tables and two copy machines. Donated items will be placed on sale at the store.

Contact: 948-6655.

The Friends of the Bend Library has placed its annual Christmas tree in the library lobby. Its branches are waiting for gifts such as mittens, gloves, hats and scarves to be given to the Family Assistance Network. Collection will take place through Jan. 2. The items will be distributed to children in need attending Bend-La Pine Schools. The library is located at 601 N.W. Wall St., Bend.

Contact: 388-6677.

Country 99.7 is collecting teddy bears to comfort children needing emergency room care during the holidays or an extra hug from the Sheriff’s Office and police services. Drop off new bears at any area McDonald’s and receive a free All American meal. Donations can also be made at the Sheriff’s Office or the Mountain Studio, 711 N.E. Butler Market Road, Bend.

Contact: 383-0997.

Redmond Fire and Rescue’s Toy and Food Drive is collecting unwrapped toys, nonperishable food and cash donations for needy families. Donations can be dropped off at Redmond Fire and Resue’s downtown station, 341 N.W. Dogwood Ave., Redmond, through Wednesday. Visit www.redmondfireandrescue.org for more information.

Contact: 480-0254.

The Christmas in the Northwest CD project raises funds to support uncompensated care at Northwest children’s hospitals. The CD consists of holiday favorites recorded by Northwest performers. To purchase a CD, visit www.christmasinthenorthwest .com.

Contact: 425-649-9114.

Bethlehem Inn, Central Oregon’s only emergency homeless shelter for individuals and families, invites you to make a difference this holiday season. Organize a donation drive, sign up to volunteer or make a donation. The following is the inn’s wish list: hardy paper plates, napkins, toilet paper, plastic utensils, laundry soap. The inn also needs sponsors to donate $135 per week to provide 30 gallons of milk for its clients. Visit www.bethlehem inn.org for more information or to make a donation.

Contact: 322-8768.

CASA of Central Oregon offers the opportunity to support abused and neglected children by purchasing holiday cards at the following locations: Community First Bank (Bend, Prineville, La-Pine, Madras, Redmond, Terrebonne); Donner Flower Shop (Bend); Painted Pony (Bend); and Home Town Drugs (Madras). In Central Oregon, it is estimated there are as many as 500 children that could benefit from a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate). Proceeds from the cards directly support the Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson County CASA of Central Oregon program.

Contact: 389-1618.

One Step at a Time is an in-home care agency assisting sen-iors and disabled individuals in Central Oregon. The organization is partnering with the community to provide three local families with a brighter holiday season. Giving trees are located at Uptown Cafe in Redmond and Terrebonne Thriftway. Donations of food, coats, clothing, toys, furniture and cash are encouraged through today. An account has been set up at Community First Bank for cash donations. All other donations can be made at One Step At A Time, 8427 N. U.S. Highway 97, Terrebonne.

Contact: 923-6288.

COBRA, Central Oregon Battering and Rape Alliance, the battered women’s shelter in Bend, will be the recipient of items collected in a drive sponsored by 106.7, KPOV, Bend Community Radio. Immediate needs include nonperishable foods, personal care items, cleaning supplies, diapers, and laundry and personal soaps. A detailed list can be found at www.kpov.org. Items can be dropped off Mondays through Fridays 1 to 5 p.m. at KPOV, 501 N.W. Bond St., Bend, through Wednesday.

Contact: 322-0863.

The Humane Society of Central Oregon invites community members to help the organization care for 5,000 animals annually. Suggestions include wish trees encouraging donations of food and supplies, adoption gift certificates, designer ID tags, Humane Society Thrift Store gift certificates, and food and supply drives. Visit www.hsco.org for more information.

Contact: 382-3537.

Sleep Country USA is conducting its Secret Santa Toy Drive to collect new toys, games, books and movies for more than 23,000 foster children in Oregon and Washington. The company welcomes unwrapped new toys, games, books and movies for foster children of all ages through today. Contributions can be dropped off at any Sleep Country USA store and will be distributed among 16 Pacific Northwest foster care organizations.

Contact: 206-932-2454 or jennifer @revolutionpr.com.

Big Real Estate Group and its partners will ”grow” a holiday tree from canned food collected for NeighborImpact, formerly known as COCAAN. Through Dec. 28, donations of canned or dry-packaged food may be dropped off at the Big Real Estate Office and/or other participating businesses. Prior to NeighborImpact’s food pickup, the office staff will build a tree outside the Big Real Estate office at 564 N.E. Greenwood Ave., Bend. All collected food then goes to NeighborImpact for distribution through its network of local agencies. For information regarding all drop-off sites, see contact number.

Contact: 548-2380, ext. 108.

The Crook County FFA chapter is selling Douglas, grand and noble fir trees at the Les Schwab parking lot in Prineville. Proceeds from the tree sales benefit the members of FFA, enabling them to travel around Oregon for competitions. The lot is open from 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 12:30 to 7 p.m. Sundays.

Contact: 416-6900.

The Salvation Army giving trees are decorated with cards carrying information about requested gifts for children and food for families. They are located at the following sites: Leggs, Springmaid and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory at Bend Factory Stores, 61334 S. U.S. Highway 97, Bend; Rite Aid South, 700 S.E. Third St., Bend; and Macy’s, 3140 N. U.S. Highway 97, Bend. Donations of food can also be dropped off at The Salvation Army, 900 S.E. Wilson Ave., Bend.

Contact: 389-8888.

Wild Oats Natural Marketplace offers customers simple ways to get into the holiday giving spirit through programs continuing through Dec. 31:

* ”Food For All” allows customers to choose from $1, $3 and $5 donation coupons, which can be added to their grocery bill. Proceeds will benefit Neighbor- Impact.

* ”Grab ‘n’ Give/Bag Hunger Program” provides customers the opportunity to purchase grocery bags filled with nonperishable staple food items in $1, $15, $20, $25 or $30 increments. Once the grocery bag has been purchased, customers can drop off the bag in the collection area at the front of the store or take the bag to donate to their organization of choice. All grocery bags collected at Wild Oats will be donated to COBRA.

Contact: 389-0151.

”Kids Helping Kids” is back again this holiday season. This gift-giving event is the brainchild of Cascade Middle School sixth-grader Niklas Hedlund and ben-efits the Trillium Family Services Children’s Center of Central Oregon. Trillium Family Services is dedicated to promoting healthy growth and development for children and adolescents. Ornaments with gift ideas can be selected from a Christmas tree at the Sage Cafe, 2677 N.W. Ordway Ave., Bend. Gifts may be dropped off at the same location until Friday.

Contact: 390-7092.

The American Automobile Association Oregon will host a food drive at its Bend location to ben-efit NeighborImpact. Donations of canned or dry-packaged food can be dropped off at their offices until Thursday. The AAA office is located at 20350 N.E. Empire Ave., Suite 5, Bend; NeighborImpact is located at 2303 S.W. First St., Redmond.

Contact: 548-2380.

Deschutes County Mental Health Department’s Rainbow Clubhouse program is selling gift certificates for holiday presents. The certificates can be redeemed at the Pot of Gold Thrift Store through the Christmas season. Certificates can also be purchased to benefit Bethlehem Inn or for individuals listed on Christmas gift tree tags, enabling them to buy items from the store. Money raised through the gift certificate sales will support Rainbow Clubhouse program services.

The Pot of Gold Thrift Store is located at 1128 N.W. Hill St., Bend. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays.

Contact: 330-4658.

The Alyce Hatch Center is offering handmade pottery Christmas ornaments for sale. Funds received will go directly to families with children at the center. The center board has once again teamed up with Sisters’ potter Ken Merrill to create and manufacture the clay pieces. The ornaments will sell for $9 at shops in Bend and Sisters, including The Book Barn, Saxons Fine Jewelers, The Alyce Hatch Center, The Bulletin, St. Charles, Unicorn and Canyon Creek Pottery. The ornaments can also be purchased from any board member through www.alycehatchcenter.org.

Contact: 389-5437.

NeighborImpact is seeking individuals and local businesses to ”Adopt a Family” for the holidays. NeighborImpact works with families to identify their most important needs and Christmas wishes. Anyone interested is asked to contact Neighbor- Impact.

Contact: 548-2380, ext. 110, or chloef@neighborimpact.org.

The Youth Choir of Central Oregon has recorded one of the songs on a new CD to benefit an African aid organization. ”Amani Celebration” is a collaboration between the Amani Children’s Foundation and several leading youth choirs in North America. Proceeds from the sale of the compilation will help provide care for more than 2 million children orphaned by AIDS in Kenya.

To purchase a CD, visit the Web site amanimeanspeace.org.

Mercy Corps, an international humanitarian aid organization, offers a gift option called Mercy Kits, which help communities around the world ravaged by natural disaster, conflict or severe poverty. There are 20 kits, all available on Mercy Corps’ Web site at www .mercycorps.org/mercykits. Examples of Mercy Kits include: Peace Kit for $50 helps programs in areas of conflict and instability such as Afghanistan and Sudan; Women’s Health Kit for $80 helps women in areas that have poor or no access to health care; and Well Kit for $1,000 provides access to clean water for communities around the world lacking access to a healthy water supply.

Each Mercy Kit recipient receives a personalized card saying that a friend, family member or co-worker has made a donation to a specific Mercy Corps humanitarian program in his or her name.

Contact: 503-595-1072 or www.mercycorps.org/mercykits.

Starbucks Coffee Co. will again be collecting books and toys for sick children at hospitals around the Northwest this holiday season through a program called the Starbucks Holiday Angels Joy Drive.

From now through Dec. 25, you can drop off new, unwrapped books and toys at any Starbucks in Oregon or southwest Washington. A list of locations is available at starbucks.com. Recommended gifts include books, board games, puzzles, hand-held games (including batteries), craft kits, building toys, DVDs, CDs and infant items.

Teams from Starbucks will visit participating hospitals, including St. Charles Medical Center, bearing goodies and spreading Christmas cheer.

Contact: 503-224-5486.

The Underground Thriftstore, which helps benefit Bend’s Community Center’s Feed the Hungry program, is now open. The store sells clothing, bedding, books, records, linens, a selection of children’s goods and more. All proceeds from the sales fund the community center’s program that provides more than 700 meals to homeless and hungry Central Oregonians each week. The thrift store is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers and donations are also needed.

Contact: 312-2069.