These days, there are so many options to help others. You can donate your time, money, and now you can even purchase certain products in order to improve others' situations. I've recently been looking into some very commendable companies that work toward making life better for others and I wanted to share a little about them with readers (for those few that actually read my articles).

1. Pura Vida. Pura Vida is a company famous for their fun bracelets. And, while they certainly are popular, many individuals purchase them for the name without knowing what the coolest part of the bracelet is: the cause! Pura Vida has donated $935,358 and has partnered with over 190 charities! Not to mention, the company provides full-time jobs for over 100 Costa Ricans, which is truly inspirational.

2. Love Your Melon. Love Your Melon (LYM) is a company that is just beginning to blossom. LYM is driven by college students and works toward helping children battling cancers of all kinds. Not only does your purchase go toward giving a hat to a child with cancer, but a certain percent of proceeds goes towards cancer research. LYM has partnered with The Pinky Swear Foundation and some other really cool companies (like Pura Vida) in order to continue their mission to make things better for these kids! Be sure to check out what your hat, shirt, or other item goes towards in the description, and, if you don't have a college in mind to support, Colorado State University-Pueblo has some really cool members! Purchases with a college selected allow the students to make visits to children and hospitals in their communities.

3. Unlock Hope. Unlock Hope is a really neat company that sells products in order to give young girls in Uganda the opportunity for education. How cool is that?! When you receive your purchase, you also receive a thank you note from one of the girls you help out.

4. Ivory Ella. Ivory Ella is a cute online store that is passionate about saving the elephants. So far, the company has been able to donate $580,179 to savetheelephants.org and other charitable organizations. Not only are the shirts cute, but you get to help out the gentle giants in Africa.

5. The Elephant Pants. The Elephant Pants (TEP) may appeal to your inner hippie. They, like Ivory Ella, are passionate about the elephants as well and are a corporate sponsor of the African Wildlife Foundation. Be boho chic in your harem pants and help them in their mission to put a stop to poaching for ivory.

6. Arm the Animals. Arm the Animals (ATA) is a company focused on giving back to the animal community. The organization has helped find homes for many animals in need and has lots of connections in the animal rescue world. Their motto is, "Fashion, Activism, Attitude," and boy does it show in their creative products!

7. Roma Boots. Roma is a company that makes rain boots which are incredibly practical for individuals who live in places with a lot of water and mud. For every pair of boots sold, a pair is donated to a child in need. Not to mention, 10 percent of all proceeds fund educational initiatives around the world. They are definitely, "giving poverty the boot!"

With so many options out there and so many causes to support it's a wonder how some of these companies aren't more well-known. Be sure to check out the websites to see the full stories behind these incredible companies. In some cases, the prices can be up there, but, as an informed shopper, it's important to look into what you're supporting. Ask yourself questions like, "Do I believe in this cause?" "Is this money really going to the right place?" "Is it worth it to spend the extra few dollars here?" "Who really benefits from this?" We can all work toward a better world, one smart decision at a time.