"Giving is important because it enriches our own lives.  Whether one gives their time, their support, their nurturing or a special gift; the giver also receives a benefit…and creates the potential to turn a life around,” says Elizabeth Montana, creator and co-owner of Loving Care Gifts in Denver.

Following this philosophy has led Montana and her husband, Yasu Kizaki, down a path that would culminate in the creation of Loving Care Gifts in 2007. Loving Care Gifts (LCG) is an online store that provides customized merchandise for people who would like to include a personal touch with a gift while also giving something back to the community.

    The idea for Loving Care Gifts evolved when Montana was searching for a special gift for her friend Carol after she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Montana was devastated by the news of her friend’s diagnosis, especially after enduring her own struggle with breast cancer eight years earlier.  Montana wanted to show her friend how deeply she cared. “I wanted her [Carol] to know that I supported her. I wanted a lasting gift,” she explains. She also wanted to find some way to donate to the breast cancer awareness cause while simultaneously giving her friend something special and meaningful.  Montana wanted to do more than make a donation in her friend’s name—she wanted to give Carol something tangible.

    After a great deal of reflection on the manner, Montana commissioned a mother/daughter team of graphic and handbag designers to create a one-of-a-kind bag for her friend with a personal message inscribed discreetly on the inside pocket. “I wound up with this absolutely beautiful bag,” says Montana. “I was truly not prepared for the impact it had on my friend. It cemented our bond.”  It also got Montana’s wheels spinning. After seeing Carol’s reaction, Montana realized the significance of giving a personalized gift.  She also realized that she was probably not the only person looking for a thoughtful gift that spoke to the recipient.  After talking with her husband, they decided to create an online shopping experience that would offer people the opportunity to purchase customized gifts while also donating to a charity.

    After two years of development, the LCG site was up and running featuring an array of custom handbags, artisan jewelry, custom photo jewelry, artistic greeting cards, designer home and office accessories and inspirational books, music and DVDs.  In addition to being unique and creative, many of the items available on the Web site are made by Colorado artists including Marla and Lisa, the mother/daughter design team who made Carol’s bag.  Montana and Kizaki are also working with a couple of jewelers as well as greeting card designer Carrie Sanders, who lets people add their own personal messages to the cards she creates.  Sanders was approached by Montana and Kizaki and decided to join their team because she was attracted to the philanthropic aspects of LCG. “I’m not in it [LCG] to make money or expand my business. I believe that giving is important and is an act of positive energy,” says Sanders who expresses that she wanted to work with Montana and Kizaki because she finds them to be very loving and caring people.