FAQ | Gap Inc Gives 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Gap Inc. Gives?

Gap Inc. Gives is Gap Inc.'s annual holiday tradition to fulfill the wishes and needs of families and communities. This holiday season, Gap Inc.'s San Francisco program will fulfill the wishes of hundreds of children, teens, and families from throughout the Bay Area, many of whom might not otherwise receive gifts during the holidays.

How do I participate this year?

This year, we're returning to a fully in-person gift drop off event. If any participants are unable to attend the in-person gift drop off event on Thursday, December 7 at 2 Folsom (cookies and hot chocolate await), please coordinate with one of your colleagues or your team captain to ensure your gifts are dropped off on that day.

If you’re a remote employee, you can still participate! Ship your gift to your team captain or another colleague and have them bring it to the event on your behalf.

Who am I supporting?

Gap Inc. and HandsOn Bay Area have chosen to support GLIDE and St. Anthony’s and their communities this holiday season. HandsOn Bay Area will collect and pre-screen the family wish lists from GLIDE and St. Anthony’s and provide the lists online to Gap Inc. employees who will purchase gifts for the families. This year, we are also supporting families from International Rescue Committee.

GLIDE is a nationally recognized center for social justice, dedicated to fighting systemic injustices, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. Through our integrated comprehensive services, advocacy initiatives, and inclusive community, we empower individuals, families and children to achieve stability and thrive. GLIDE is on the forefront of addressing some of society's most pressing issues, including poverty, housing and homelessness, and racial and social justice.

The mission of St. Anthony Foundation is to feed, heal, shelter, clothes, lift the spirits of those in need, and create a society in which all people flourish. We are committed to providing the poor of San Francisco with basic needs and services as a gateway to reclaiming their sense of dignity and progressing toward stability.

The International Rescue Committee provides opportunities for refugees, asylees, and other immigrants to thrive in the United States. The IRC helps newcomers as they rebuild their lives and regain control of their futures.As families adjust to life in the U.S., the IRC provides holistic support, ensuring they remain in stable housing, have access to nutritious food and quality health care, and develop computer, job, and financial literacy skills. The IRC also provides legal services to help individuals become residents, citizens, and reunite with their families.

Who can participate in Gap Inc. Gives?

All Gap Inc. employees are encouraged to participate. Sign up individually or as the team captain of a group. If you are a team captain, you are the only one on your team that needs to register.

How many families should I support?

That's up to you but it's important to support a realistic number of families based upon the number of team members who want to participate. The average family size is 5 people and each gift typically costs $50.

You can use the following as a guide; however, we encourage you to support as many families as you would like:

5 team members = 1 family (5 people)
10 team members = 2 families (10 people)
15 team members = 3 families, etc.

Pro tip! Poll your team first to determine how many people want to participate and how much they want to contribute:

Questions to ask:

Would you like to participate in Gap Inc. Gives?
How much would you like to contribute? Each gift typically costs $50 but all contributions are appreciated!

Based on this information, you can select a realistic number of families to support.

Example: If 12 employees participate and contribute a collective $200, then your team can support a family with 4 people ($200/$50 - average gift cost per family member).

When do I receive a "wish list" from my family?

After you select a family, your family and their "wish list" will be assigned and posted to your online account immediately after you select a family. To access your Gap Inc. Gives information, please log in to your account.

How do I prepare my gifts?

Please do not wrap your gifts as we need to confirm your item once it arrives to the HandsOn office.

Please provide gift receipts. This makes it easy for the families to return any gifts or clothing items that do not fit.

Please know the Family ID and the Family Name of the family your team selects at the drop off event as we will be asking for this information when you drop off your gifts! This information can be found in your account.

If you have any questions, please reach out to gapincgives@hoba.org.

Reminder: This year, gifts can ONLY be brought to 2 Folsom on December 7th at our in-person gift drop off event! (If you’re unable to drop off, please coordinate with a teammate to drop off your gifts for you!)

How will I know what to buy?

You will receive your family's wish list via your online account on this site. Please purchase the gift requested for your assigned family or family member. There is no appropriate minimum or maximum spending amount for gifts but each gift should typically cost $50 per family member. If you are the team captain, you are responsible for assigning wish lists/family members to each of your team members, and coordinating that every team member’s gifts will be dropped off together on December 7. If remote employees on your team want to participate, please ensure they ship their gifts directly to you (or coordinate with another colleague). All gifts should arrive by December 7th.

What if I have questions about the individual to whom I am matched?

Your online account will give you the ability to access the names and gift requests of the individual you are supporting. Any questions about sizes, color preferences, etc. should be directed to gapincgives@hoba.org

Please make sure to include the Family ID with any queries.

How do I create my account?

Visit the homepage and click on the Register or Log In button. You will be asked to enter your contact information, your brand or function, and if you are registering as an individual or team captain. If you are a team captain, please mark yourself as such and enter in the number of team members that are participating with you.

If you've participated in years past, you will still need to create an account as the site is wiped of user data and refreshed for the new year!

How do I access my family's wish list?

Log in to this site using the credentials you used to sign up. If you have already selected families to support, their wish list(s) will be listed on your profile. For other technical issues, email gapincgives@hoba.org.

How should my team log volunteer hours for participating in Gap Inc. Gives?

All hours related to Gap Inc. Gives should be logged to this event on bewhatspossible.com. For every 10 hours our SF teams log, we’ll donate $100 to GLIDE. Please do not create your own Gap Inc. Gives event.