Holiday Gift Guide 2017: Gifts That Give Back

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Are you finding yourself stuck? We are getting down to the wire, and most of us have those people we just don’t know what to buy. Instead of grabbing a prepackaged gift basket or those bargain slippers, why not consider one of these charitable gifts?

gifts that give back

From handmade items to donations in their honor, there are literally millions of charitable organizations you can help this year with a simple purchase. These are some of are favorites for giving back this holiday season.

gifts that give backBe a part of the solution, and make a purchase to help fund the non-profit organization To Write Love On Her Arms. It was started when Jamie Tworkowski met Renee Yohe. Renee was a tormented young girl struggling with alcoholism, addiction, and suicidal thoughts. Jamie chronicled the five days he spent with Renee before she entered rehab in the story To Write Love On Her Arms. Jamie also began selling t-shirts to help cover the costs of her rehab, and his an act of kindness turned into something much larger. Now, To Write Love On Her Arms is a non-profit that helps raise awareness and funds to help those struggling with addiction and mental illness. Make a purchase today and help many that have nowhere to turn.

gifts that give back

By gifting one of these adorable dolls from cuddle+kind, you can help give 10 meals to children in need. Started by a husband and wife, with three kids of their own, Jen and Derek saw a documentary about the devastation of childhood hunger and vowed to do something about it. They came up with these cuddly dolls made from natural, high-quality cotton and sewn by Peruvian artisans. Each purchase helps provide meals to kids in need, and it also helps provide fair-trade income to the Peruvian artisans that make the dolls. They have a variety of dolls to choose from and even inspirational prints.

gifts that give back

LSTN was founded to make change through the power of music. Now, they have partnered with Starkey Hearing Foundation to help provide hearing aids to those in need around the world. To date, LSTN has helped over 22,000 people in 8 countries. Grab a pair of these headphones and help people around the world hear for the first time. 

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Westward Leaning makes sunglasses from sustainable materials, and each line is associated with a charitable organization giving 10% of the net proceeds to the cause. On the temple of the sunglasses, there is a symbol that represents the charity it helped support. 

Bracelet

Alex and Ani have designed this Lighthouse Charm Bangle to help those with Leukemia and Lymphoma. As a beacon and source of light during the darkest of storms, it was the perfect charm to use for their charity bracelet. When purchased, 20% of the purchase price will be donated (with a minimum donation of $25,000 between January 2017 and December 2017) to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

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Love 41 makes these beautiful toiletry bags, and the proceeds help support Africa New Life Ministries. When you buy one, you will help give back to victims of the Rwandan genocide. 

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Love Your Melon works to give every child suffering from pediatric cancer in America a hat, and they also support nonprofit organizations leading the fight against pediatric cancer. When you buy one of their hats, 50% of the profit goes straight to their nonprofit partners to help continue the fight against childhood cancer. 

yobi mini highlighters

Gift these fun mini-highlighters from Yoobi. For every Yoobi purchase, money is donated to a classroom in need. 

Plants are always a good go-to gift when you have no idea what to buy, and Lula’s Garden has planted something pretty amazing. The creator Liraz Birnbaum uses hand planted, locally grown plants to make beautiful succulents gardens and each purchase also helps support organizations that give people access to clean water around the world. 

fire dept coffee

Fire Dept. Coffee is made by real firefighters, and it is sourced from environmentally farms in Central and South America. A portion of the proceeds of each bag will go to assistance programs that help firefighters, veterans or members of the military.  

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Global Goods Partners is a not-for-profit social enterprise that works with women around the world to help them obtain sustainable jobs. All profits from the products sold are invested into developing sustainable market access and to provide training and funding to help women and partners prosper. Changing the social climate for women and their families, Global Goods Partners has a variety of beautiful products to choose from, and each purchase is helping a woman somewhere in the world make a better life for herself and her family.

Sweet Beginnings works with formerly incarcerated people to help them rejoin the workforce. They help them learn necessary skills and gather work history in order to keep moving forward. The company makes a variety of fantastic skincare products. 

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To The Market sells goods from jewelry to housewares that have been made by artisans from around the world. These artisans are survivors of abuse, conflict and disease which To The Market works with to bring awareness to their struggles while giving them the platform to support themselves and families through their work. 

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If you have a junior animal lover, consider buying them one of these plush birds from the Audubon Birds of Prey Collection. The proceeds go to the Audubon’s efforts in conserving and restoring natural ecosystems specifically focusing on birds and their habitats. Choose from birds such as the bald eagle, snowy owl or the peregrine falcon. The birds play a recording of their call, and each box comes with a adoption certificate as well as a personalized letter from David Yarnold, the Audubon CEO. 

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Support National Public Radio and the journalists that are determined to report the news with purchases from the NPR gift shop

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When you buy a product from Mayfair Soap Foundry, it helps provide a positive experience for an American family experiencing health challenges. They work with the Starlight Foundation to offer opportunities for families struggling during a difficult time.   

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Don’t forget your furry, four-legged friends this holiday season! Buy a leash from Found My Animal and help support animal adoption. Proceeds from their pet accessories also support animal rescue organizations around the country. 

Purpose Jewelry hires young women rescued from sex trafficking to design and create beautiful pieces of jewelry. For every piece sold, portions of the proceeds go to the non-profit International Sanctuary to provide women rescued from sex trafficking with medical care, education, counseling and even microloans to help them start their own businesses. 

booties

How adorable are these booties from Accompany! 100% handmade in Patagonia with natural materials, these booties are made by female artisans that receive training to build sustainable business plans that will help support themselves and create a better life.

amazon

If you are anything like me, I do most of my shopping online, and Amazon is my go-to. With AmazonSmile, you can shop tens of millions of products for purchase that have a portion donated to the charity of your choosing. You have the same low price you always find on Amazon, and a portion or your payment will go to the charity of your choosing. Every penny counts! 

Make this Christmas a littler merrier for your family and those in need! 

14 thoughts on “Holiday Gift Guide 2017: Gifts That Give Back”

  1. These are all great gifts, I would love to receive any of them and it’s awesome that they all give back to so many great causes

    Reply
  2. So many wonderful options here. You definitely want to have the gifts that give back under the tree. Helping this time of year is the norm. Wouldn’t that be awesome if it was true all year round!! Love that hat!!

    Reply
  3. Having left my 10-year-old nephew to leukemia, I am certainly go to purchase the Alex and Ani bracelet. It’s a lovely addition to my collection and a great way to help other families.

    Reply

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