Holiday shopping may look a little different for some Ithaca residents this year.

Instead of giving the traditional  sweater or a tie, people can give $5 for 50 servings of milk at a local soup kitchen.

The sixth annual Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair raises money for local organizations and charities by offering priced gifts available for attendees to purchase. Locally based organizations will fill two churches Saturday with more than 300 different gifts for purchase.

The gifts, beginning at $5, are donations to specific organizations that show participants exactly where their money will be going.

The Ithaca Youth Council is offering the following gifts at the fair: a $5 donation to help plant a tree to celebrate the power of teen voice in the community, a $20 donation to sponsor a teen-led community service project, a $30 donation to provide funding for a teen night and a $50 donation to sponsor an interactive youth leadership training event. A gift above $50 will support the Youth Council in working toward a goal of engaging and assisting local youth in civic education.

Anke Wessels, executive director of the Center for Transformative Action, said the fair first hosted about 12 organizations and made about $9,000. Last year, the organizations made $40,000. To date, the Alternative Gift Fair has raised more than $135,000 for local nonprofit organizations.

Because of the large number of fair participants this year, the fair will be held at two adjacent locations: the First Presbyterian Church and the First Baptist Church from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on North Cayuga Street.

Jennifer Handy, Youth Council program leader, said this is the first year that the Youth Council will participate in the gift fair. She said she is excited to spread awareness about the program to others in the community.

“For us, it’s a really cool opportunity to tell people about what we do and the different things that Youth Council has started to do and answer questions people might have,” Handy said.

Handy said not only does the fair provide a way to create group awareness, but it is also a practical and inexpensive way to do holiday shopping.

“You never really know what $10 might mean to an organization,” Handy said. “This event makes that really tangible on what even small amounts of money can do.”

Wessels, a six-time participant and one of the main organizers of the fair, said she has seen the fair grow from a small organization led by two Ithaca College students, Angela DeFelice ’03 and Meghan Sheehan ’03, to a large-scale holiday event. DeFelice and Sheehan passed off the fair to Wessels upon their graduation.

“It is very exciting,” Wessels said. “From what we can tell, we are the largest gift fair of this kind in the country. We have had several people who have contacted us and asked us how to set up a gift fair where they live.”

She said the fair is not only becoming popular in Ithaca, but the model is getting replicated elsewhere in the country.

Shoppers will be given a list of the organizations available when they enter. Groups will be stationed at tables to answer questions about the organizations and available gifts. After they have filled out the appropriate sheet with desired gifts, they will check out at the final service desk.

A committee composed of representatives from the Center for Transformative Action, Tompkins Community Action, Cayuga Lake Watershed Network and community members are responsible for organizing the total money received from shoppers.

Barb Nellenback, a committee representative from Tompkins Community Action, said the fair is a clever way to generate money for local organizations.  

“I like the idea of nonmaterial gift giving and supporting organizations that do good work in our community,” Nellenback said.

Shoppers will receive a quarter card — a small card decorated by their chosen organization — complete with information about their purchase as well as a holiday gift card upon exiting.

“Instead of purchasing another tie, it is an opportunity to provide something meaningful as a gift,” Wessels said. “It is nonmaterial and is really providing a valuable service in our community.”

Those who are unable to attend the fair Saturday can shop online at www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org beginning Sunday through Dec. 20. This is the second year an online shopping option is available.

Handy said people of all ages will enjoy shopping or receiving alternative gifts this year.

“It helps someone give something more specific and say ‘I’m part of that,’” Handy said. “We like people to know what we are doing and feel involved.”