The season of gift giving is here! We know that for some of you, just those words alone can cause a familiar feeling of overwhelm, especially if you’ve got tough people to buy for or a budget to keep in mind. But before you initiate the panic sequence, we’ve got five holiday gift suggestions for local subscriptions or gift cards that are memorable, meaningful, and last all year round – but won’t break the bank.

Best of all, these five picks support a social mission or give back to the community in some way. Here’s some of the best subscriptions and gift cards that Chicago’s got to offer this holiday season.

For the community supporter: Block Club Chicago

Got someone in the family who is passionate about all the happenings in their Chicago ‘hood? You can keep them in-the-know and support local journalism by gifting a year-long subscription to Block Club Chicago. This nonprofit news organization, which covers areas from Beverly to Uptown and all those in-between, hearkens back to the days of on-the-ground local coverage. They’re committed to reporting “reliable, nonpartisan and essential” news taking place in Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods.

For the environmentally-minded: Worry not, WasteNot does the dirty work for you

If you have a friend who thinks composting is cool but they don’t have the time or space for it, a WasteNot subscription is a great solution. WasteNot is Chicago’s first and only zero-emission, compost collection service for homes, businesses, and events. They supply you with a 5-gallon composting bucket which they’ll pick up from you either weekly or bi-weekly all year – all you have to do is throw your trash in. If you’re not sure what you can compost, there’s a handy list on their website!

For the pet parents: Rover is pawesome.

For those with four-legged members of their family, you can gift them a Rover gift card! Whether you need dog boarding, dog-sitting, dog-walking, or a dog play date, Rover makes pet care safe, easy, and affordable so that if you need to be away from home on a longer-than-expected work day or a week-long vacation, Rover’s experts are there to help.

For the budding horticulturist and architecture lover: Chicago Botanical Garden membership

If you know someone who enjoys spending time in the garden or could use a little more nature zen in their life, the botanical gardens are delightful. Why not spend 2020 taking in all the plant life and architectural beauty that the Chicago Botanical Garden has to offer? Members enjoy benefits like free parking, gardening resources, and additional discounts on hosted events.

Of course, you can’t go wrong with a Fixer gift card!

Whether 2019 was the year you bought your home or the year you got tired of looking at the home-repair projects that are STILL on the to-do list, Fixer is here to help make 2020 of home project stress relief.

Fixer gift cards can be delivered electronically or by mail with a personal note and are valid for all services within downtown, northside of Chicago, Oak Park, Skokie, Evanston, Lincolnwood and Wilmette. Save the new homeowner in your life from a dreaded DIY project. Check in on an elderly neighbor and make sure their home is cozy for the winter. Or help a fellow stressed-out parent who just wants the darn kitchen sink fixed already. You can gift a Fixer for an hour or a day (in case you have more than one home repair that needs to be fixed!).

Give back this holiday season… and all year round

As gifts go, you can rest easy: not only are these are sure to please everyone on your list, but you can feel good about giving them!