The holiday season should be about cheer and welcoming the new year, right? But somewhere along the line, this time of the year has become more about buying, consuming and receiving… big flashy Christmas ads, Black Friday sales — these are things that are designed to compel us to buy more and feel less. I’ve written before about green gift giving, but I want to take it one step further. If you’re looking for some last-minute presents, instead of buying a tangible present for your most beloved, think of some way to give back to the community in their honor. Then you can really feel like you’ve warmed somebody’s heart (and perhaps home) this year. There are innumerable charities that you could give to — just pick something you’re passionate about and I am sure you will find a matching organization. I’ve even come up with a few suggestions of my own to get you started 🙂

KIVA

This incredible organization provides the outlet for small business owners and entrepreneurs in developing countries to apply for a loan that has the potential to launch them (and their local community) into success. You come into the picture by funding all or part of a loan. You can even loan out to several different causes you feel aligned with. What’s more? You get your money back — in full. That means the cycle of giving can continue! Simply pick a new cause to support 🙂
When looking for who to support, you can filter by different categories that interest you the most (e.g. single mothers, healthcare, education, food, etc.). And before lending on Kiva’s website, you have the chance to read a more thorough description of the process to help you understand the true impact your loan will be making. If you choose to donate to Kiva, the sentiment that it is “a gift that keeps on giving” couldn’t be more true. The money you give to a loved one in the form of a Kiva gift card can be continually reinvested, giving them the chance to pick from many different borrowers who inspire them and make a difference in a big way for many years to come.

https://www.kiva.org/

Because We Carry

Back in 2015, three friends left Amsterdam for the Greek island of Lesvos. They carried with them over a thousand baby carriers that were donated by people concerned about the refugees stranded on the Greek shore, left to fend for themselves. The island is a popular passage point because it is a swimmable distance (only 3km) from Turkey. The population of the island was 100,000 before this mass emigration started, so it’s safe to say that, despite their generosity, they were overwhelmed by the approx. 10,000 refugees arriving with each passing day. When the three inspiring women arrived, they discovered that the problem was much bigger than they previously thought. People were suffering from far more than a lack of supplies. So they decided to follow their inner moral conscience and become the change they wanted to see, rallying support from across the globe in an effort to aid the families and individuals torn from their homeland by war. They created a living communitiy called Kara Tepe where they continue to provide food, housing, basic resources, and many of the comforts we often take for granted. You can help by donating (every little bit helps!) and letting your family know where your Christmas budget went this year <3

http://www.becausewecarry.org/en/

Heifer International Organization

The premise of the Heifer organization is the question, “Why give a family in need a bucket of milk when you could give them a cow?” The idea is to create sustainable change… change that can grow, trickle down and help to build a self-sustaining community. There is an agreement between the Heifer organization and the families it aids: that what they receive is not just a handout, but rather part of a lasting agreement to practice sustainable farming methods, as well as pay forward the good fortune they would receive. As more and more members of a community gain a sustainable income, opportunity manifests and can be seized — by building schools and health clinics, and by funding small businesses to promote economic growth from the ground up. The pay-it-forward model is enacted by the families who have received livestock, passing on the first female offspring to another family in need. This creates a chain of giving that can go on and on <3
The program is currently active all over the world. You can make a huge difference by buying a loved one a goat, cow, pig, and/or chicken this holiday season — a gift that has the potential to end poverty and hunger for an entire community!

https://www.heifer.org/

So make someone feel good this holiday season by giving them the gift that gives back — I certainly know I will be! And if you have any other suggestions of charities you support, or if you’re thinking of changing up your own wish list this year and already have an organization in mind that you’ll be donating to, let us know in the comments below 🙂

Feature Photo by Annie Spratt