When longtime Hallmark star Kristoffer Polaha appeared in the network’s 2016 rom-com “The Dater’s Handbook” opposite Meghan Markle, then an up-and-coming actress who had yet to meet her future Prince Charming, one of the best things he learned from her had nothing to do with acting.

Ahead of Giving Tuesday on December 3, 2024, Polaha told EntertainmentNOW that he credits Markle with first letting him know about the Christian humanitarian organization WorldVision, for whom he’s now a celebrity ambassador.

“The Christmas Quest” star said he’s drawn inspiration from Markle and former NFL player-turned-philanthropist Tim Tebow. He’s eager to follow in their footsteps as he helps to raise money for World Vision with his trio of “Further Together” artisan bracelets and eyes a future mission trip far from home.

Kristoffer Polaha Says When World Vision Reached Out to Him, It Felt Like a ‘Godwink’

Asked how he got involved with World Vision, Polaha told EntertainmentNOW, “You know, it’s funny, but Meghan Markle. She had some photographs of her in Africa and I was like, ‘Well, that’s cool. How’d you do that?’ And she said, ‘Well, WorldVision sent me and it was amazing, it changed my life.'”

In January 2016, Markle traveled to Rwanda as a global ambassador for World Vision to learn about the organization’s efforts to provide clean water and equality in education there. Though Polaha and his wife Julianne had their hands full at the time with three boys and other charity commitments, he was amazed when World Vision called him out of the blue several years later, asking if he’d want to work with them as an ambassador.

Instantly recognizing it as the organization Markle had previously recommended, he knew deep down he was meant to get involved, telling EntertainmentNOW, “It was one of those weird coincidences. That specific moment in my life was like a Godwink.”

Founded in 1950, World Vision says its mission is to help individuals and communities thrive by “tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.” Polaha told EntertainmentNOW that his goal is to go on a mission with the organization like Markle has done, but the excursions haven’t worked out yet with his schedule.

“This year, I was going to go to Maui to hand out backpacks to people impacted by the fires,” he said, “but it’s been hard to get the schedules to line up. I know (a trip) is gonna happen at the right time.”

Tim Tebow Inspired Kristoffer Polaha to Create Bracelets for World Vision

Heavy/Getty/World Vision

In the meantime, Polaha has supported World Vision for the last four years by designing and promoting his “Further Together” bracelets, which were inspired by an interaction between the Polaha family and Tebow. When they met the former athlete, Polaha told EntertainmentNOW, Tebow was wearing multiple bracelets and he gave one to Polaha’s son Caleb.

Polaha recalled, “Caleb was like, ‘This is amazing! I love this.’ And, forevermore, he was able to hold on to this bracelet from his idol.”

Inspired by that moment, Polaha and his wife designed a set of three string wax, colored bracelets with World Vision, which can be worn together or the wearer can remove one to pass on good tidings to another person. Available for $40 on World Vision’s website, the bracelets are hand-braided by “skilled women artisans” in developing countries, with proceeds going to the organization’s efforts in their communities.

“The first year, they sold out instantly,” Polaha told EntertainmentNOW, adding that he’s proud to be linked with a charity that puts so much of its earnings back into the communities it serves. “They do really wonderful things, whether they’re helping with the floods in Asheville or the Sudan refugee crisis. And there’s accountability, so you know your money is being used well.”

World Vision has a fundraising goal of $4 million on Giving Tuesday 2024, a day when consumers are encouraged to donate to nonprofits that are doing good work in the world.