Gifts That Give Back

Posted on 12-03-2015

It's that time of year when we search for the perfect gift and struggle with the hard-to-buy-for family member.  The season can cause stress, but it is also a time when people are thinking of others and how they can help the less fortunate.  There's a way to do both at the same time - give a social conscious gift as in an item that gives proceeds to a charity.  

When you give a gift that helps a charitable organization, it brings meaning to your gift and makes you the giver as well as the receiver of the gift feel good!  Here's a list of places to shop that give back...

Sevenly

Sevenly chooses one charity each week to feature a unique design on a t-shirt that when purchased, the company gives $7 to the charity of choice.  Founders Dale Partridge and Aaron Chavez began this philanthropic company in 2011 with the expectations of selling maybe 20 shirts to people they knew.  They were surprised to find 860 shirts sold in their first week!  A shirt is only available for that week giving a sense of urgency to purchase and making more money for the charity.  The charities chosen range from humanity to animals to environment, so there's sure to be a cause you, and the person you are buying for, believe in.    

http://www.sevenly.org

Arbor Days Foundation

You don't have to be a tree hugger to appreciate a gift of trees.  Through Arbor Day Foundation, you can have trees planted in someone's name and Arbor Day will send a card suited for the occasion (such as holidays) to the recipient.  Each dollar donated will plant one tree in America's National Forests which they usually give you a choice at the time of purchase.  Helping to restore our forests helps to improve our environment, support wildlife habitat and revitalize America's natural beauty.  

http://www.arborday.org

Rescue Her

For the coffee drinker, Rescue Her offers a Vienna Roast that is organic and Fair Trade Certified 100% Arabica beans.  Coffee beans are roasted every Monday to ensure you get the freshest coffee delivered.  Rescue Her was born out of the heart of Josie Carignan to help victims of human trafficking after she met a little girl overseas who had been trafficked.  Carignan began this fight against human trafficking by selling coffee, and she and her husband came up with the name ZOE to keep the focus on the actual girls in need and not the statistic.

http://www.rescueher.org/zoe-coffee1

Rescued Wine

What do you get when you cross the love of dogs with the love of wine?  Rescued Wine!  Craig and Amy Davies came up with Rescued Wine which recycles empty wine bottles and turns them into jars that hold wonderfully scented soy candles named after wines and bubbly.  The big reward is that your purchase helps animal rescue groups care for animals in need.  The company donates 2% of its revenue to animal rescues around the country.

http://rescuedwinecandles.com/

Happy shopping and giving in the spirit of love!