It’s the holiday season, which means the next few weeks will be jam-packed with shopping for thoughtful gifts for all of your loved ones. While some people may want to go overboard in the spirit of giving, it can get tough to find the funds to buy presents and donate to people in need. You can always go with the tried and true method of donating to charities in other people’s names, but if you want to also give a tangible gift, here is a list of online stores you can shop at that donate at least a portion of the cost to a charity.
Sevenly
Personally, I love Sevenly because they design clothing, prints, and other products to subtly represent the charity that a percentage of the cost goes too. Plus, you can shop to support a variety of different causes, including anti-bullying, veteran support, ending cancer, and helping the environment. You can check out their site here to see if anything sticks out to you.
The Adventure Project
This site is dedicated to helping women in Kenya get charcoal-efficient stoves. Many women and children in Kenya are forced to spend hours each day collecting firewood to cook, but the smoke and carbon emitted by these fires are one of the worlds’ largest killer of women and children. The Adventure Project sells Brooklyn-made charcoal soap (also containing coconut, olive, and palm oil) which is good for your skin and allows you to help these Kenyan women.
Delicacies
Each piece of Delicacies Jewelry bought generates “Delicacies Dollars,” money that is donated to nonprofit agencies combating hunger and food insecurity. While these gifts are fairly expensive, they’re worth the cost because of the materials used to make them and the cause that they are supporting.
Just Cause Gifts
This site supports a variety of charities dedicated to helping wildlife, while also selling organic, eco-friendly clothing and other products. Primarily dedicated to baby apparel and toys, Just Cause Gifts also has products for adults, including safari wine glasses, coasters, and hand-blown figurines.
Rumba
Rumba’s Jane collection of watches and interchangeable cotton straps donates $2 of each sale to one of their four charity partners. GiveDirectly helps families in extreme poverty in Uganda and Kenya, Young Survival Coalition helps young women diagnosed with breast cancer, Action Against Hunger saves the lives of malnourished children, and Social Tees Animal Rescue saves thousands of animals from kill shelters each year. The strap, or straps, you choose represent which charity you are helping with your purchase.
TOMS
This company has long been a charitable donation with their One For One promise. For each pair of shoes that you purchase, TOMS donates a pair to a child in need. In addition to that, TOMS also gives to agencies dedicated to supporting sight (through glasses or necessary surgeries), safe water, safe birth, and anti-bullying. By purchasing different products, you can help make a difference in someone’s life.
Simbi
All of Simbi’s products are eco-friendly and artisan crafted, and support sustainable jobs and clean water efforts in Haiti. Since the cholera epidemic, water filtration has been an important issue in Haiti, and the beautiful handmade accessories sold on Simbi’s website help fund addressing the issue.
LUSH
As if you needed another reason to love LUSH, their Charity Pot body lotions donate 100% of the proceeds to a variety of small grassroots organizations dedicated to environmental conservation, animal welfare, and human rights. Their Matt and Nat Hope Bag is made of vegan materials and allows you to choose one of five charities you wish to benefit from the purchase, and their line of Fun products support small organizations dedicated to creating opportunities for play in areas of radiation risk in Japan.
Moleskine
If you know an avid writer, Moleskine’s (RED) notebooks are a great gift, as a portion of the proceeds goes to the Global Fund to fight AIDS. AIDS is still a very prevalent health issue in many countries, and finding a cure or a more effective therapeutic treatment is of the utmost importance.
These are just a few of the many companies dedicated to helping others have better lives. You can also keep your eyes peeled for local agencies or individuals that need help. Happy Holidays!
