VN,

DS 's school has a residential program attached to it. Ds lives at home and is a day student only. Every year they send out a request to the parents asking them to donate money. Howver, they combine them with the residential programs funds I never give them anything. Preferring to give the money directly to benefit my sons staff.

DL

The only service person I give a gift to is the postman.  Technically, I probably shouldn't do that because he's a government employee, and they're not supposed to accept tips, but I think it's generally winked at.  I would leave a little something for the trash collectors and meter readers if I could figure out how to get it to them, but short of watching out the window so I can waylay them when they show up, I'm not sure how.  For the postman, I just leave a card in the mailbox labeled "For mail carrier."

I don't really have any other "helpers" to give to, because I don't employ any service people on a regular basis (other than doctors I see once or twice a year).