13 Great Gifts That Give Back
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Unicef
Shop the Unicef Market for one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted items made by artisans from around the world. Purchases such as cards, dinnerware, candles, jewelry and T-shirts not only make your recipient feel like you really went out of your way to buy that special something, but a portion of your purchase will benefit both the artist and Unicef's mission to save and protect children all around the world.
You can also send an "inspired gift" directly to children in someone's name. Gifts include food, mosquito nets, water hygiene kits, school supplies and vaccines.
Unicef Available at Unicef (starting at $10)
Photo courtesy of Unicef.
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Bombas
Get one, give one. Socks are the number-one requested item in homeless shelters all over the United States, and Bombas' mission is to help draw attention to that need and eliminate it all together. For every sock purchased, Bombas will donate a pair of socks that have been specially engineered with an anti-microbial treatment and more durability to those who need them most.
Bombas socks aren't just good for humanity, but they're also good for your feet. Constructed with seven material improvements in mind, the socks are comfortable, supportive, moisture-wicking and soft, so you can go from the gym to the grocery without giving your feet another thought.
Bombas Available at Bombas (starting at $12)
Photo courtesy of Bombas.
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LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
Hikers, campers and other outdoorsy types, rejoice! Now you can easily (and inexpensively) filter up to 1,000 liters of dirty water into water that's safe to drink with the lightweight and easy-to-use LifeStraw. Plus, for every purchase you make, LifeStraw will donate safe, clean drinking water to a child in a developing country for his or her entire school year.
LifeStraw Available at LifeStraw (starting at $19.95)
Photo courtesy of LifeStraw.
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Love Your Melon Hats
Baby, it's cold outside—there's no denying that. What better way to keep warm on those winter walks and give back than with a Love Your Melon 100 percent cotton knit hat? Founded on a mission to gift a hat to every child battling cancer--which they achieved by giving away 45,000 hats--the company is now dedicated to aiding in the funding of research and support. Now, for each hat purchased, the company will give 50 percent of its profits to nonprofit organizations who help fight pediatric cancer.
Love Your Melon Available at Love Your Melon (starting at $30)
Photo courtesy of Love Your Melon.
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Thistle Farms' Love Heals Products
Thistle Farms' makes it its mission to not only deliver warmth and happiness to your household via their home products (lotions, aromatherapy, candles and other heavenly smelling items), but to "heal, empower and employ women survivors of trafficking, prostitution and addiction." By providing safe residential programs and jobs for survivors, the company helps women get back on their feet as they train for jobs, earn economic independence and thrive within a supportive community.
Help keep Thistle Farms' mission in action by purchasing a gift for a loved one from them today.
Home Gift Basket Available at Thistle Farms ($60)
Photo courtesy of Thistle Farms.
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Better World Books
Who doesn't have a book lover in their life? Surely there is someone who would enjoy a healthy cookbook or a book on mindfulness. Better World Books sees to it that for every book you buy, a portion of the sale will go to fund literacy programs around the world. You can choose from among eight million new and used books--some diverted from landfills—to have delivered to a loved one via carbon-neutral shipping. Plus, every time you order a book from Better World Books, a book is delivered to someone in need--as of September of last year the company had donated 21 million books. It really is that easy to give the gift of reading to someone who may not otherwise receive it.
Better World Books Available at Better World Books (prices vary)
Photo courtesy of Better World Books.
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Yoobi School Supplies
Teachers spend an average of $485 of their own money purchasing school supplies for their students. Yoobi wants to change that and give students (and educators) the classroom essentials they need so that children can not only learn and become successful, but can also grow up with the confidence to do so. For every Yoobi product you purchase (either on the site or at Target ), Yoobi will donate a classroom item to the Kids in Need Foundation or other distribution partners who work together to deliver much-needed school supplies to classrooms across the country.
Yoobi Available at Yoobi (prices vary)
Photo courtesy of Yoobi.
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BoxLunch Meals
BoxLunch has donated over 11 million meals through its partnership with Feeding America, the biggest domestic hunger-relief charity in the nation. For every $10 you spend on the site, BoxLunch will donate a meal to a community food bank.
BoxLunch Available at BoxLunch (prices vary)
Photo courtesy of BoxLunch.
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Warby Parker
Glasses for you, glasses for someone in need--Warby Parker continues their Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program to alleviate impaired vision for those who need it most. Since 2010, the company has donated over three million pairs of eyeglasses all around the world. According to Warby Parker, for every pair of glasses donated to someone in the developing world, their productivity increases 35 percent, which, in turn, increases their income by 20 percent. Help someone see by purchasing your next pair of glasses from their site.
Warby Parker Available at Warby Parker (prices vary)
Photo courtesy of Warby Parker.
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FEED
Your purchase of FEED products helps the organization to improve access to food to the most vulnerable communities around the world. FEED provides school meals, micronutrients, mother-child nutrition, food aid in America, vitamin A and emergency relief through partnerships with organizations such as the United Nations World Food Programme, UNICEF and Feeding America.
Plus, every product description includes the number of meal donations your purchase will provide directly under the price.
FEED Projects Available at FEED (starting at $15)
Photo courtesy of FEED.
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Kitchen Towels
Keep your hands dry and your kitchen stylish with this set of two hand-spun cotton kitchen towels. Made on a traditional loom in South India, every purchase helps fund girls' education programs in India.
Malabar Handloomed Kitchen Towels Available at Bloom & Give ($28)
Photo courtesy of Bloom & Give.
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Alex and Ani Lotus Blossom Charm Bangle
A symbol of grace, strength and beauty, as well as a fierce bond between two people, the lotus charm bracelet from Alex and Ani makes a great gift for someone you admire, respect and love.
Twenty percent of the purchase price of the lotus blossom bangle will be donated to Women & Infants Hospital, with a minimum donation of $25,000.
Lotus Blossom Charm Bangle Available at Alex and Ani ($28)
Photo courtesy of Alex and Ani.
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The Doll Kind
In keeping with the get one/give one theme, The Doll Kind is a great way to teach children kindness and a pay-it-forward mentality. For each doll purchased, you will receive 10 tokens to give your child that encourages them to participate in random acts of kindness. They can give the tokens to whomever they see fit: a friend, a family member, a cafeteria worker or a crossing guard. The tokens are imprinted with the message "Pay It Forward" to encourage sharing the tokens with others again and again to life up people's spirits and to help your child grow into a more compassionate and charitable person.
For each doll purchased, The Doll Kind will also donate a doll to someone less fortunate in the United States and throughout the world.
The Doll Kind Available at The Doll Kind ($59))
Photo courtesy of The Doll Kind.
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Gifts That Keep on Giving
By: Elizabeth Lowry
Getting gifts is fun, but giving a gift is even better. That feeling you get when you know you've picked out the perfect gift for that special someone, and the knowledge that you're going to make that person's day is priceless. Now, wouldn't it be great if you could double those feel-good vibes with gifts that give back?
While giving directly to charity is always a good choice, if you're going to purchase a present for someone anyway, you might as well make sure it can do double duty--and pull in twice the smiles. These 13 gifts are not only perfect for that special someone on your list, but can also help those in need.
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Unicef
Shop the Unicef Market for one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted items made by artisans from around the world. Purchases such as cards, dinnerware, candles, jewelry and T-shirts not only make your recipient feel like you really went out of your way to buy that special something, but a portion of your purchase will benefit both the artist and Unicef's mission to save and protect children all around the world.
You can also send an "inspired gift" directly to children in someone's name. Gifts include food, mosquito nets, water hygiene kits, school supplies and vaccines.
Unicef Available at Unicef (starting at $10)
Photo courtesy of Unicef.
