Holiday Gift Guide - Giving Tuesday Edition
Thankfully most of us have all the things we really need: a roof over our heads, food to eat, friends & family, and hopefully our health. So for my gift guide this year I wanted to highlight Giving Tuesday with options that really make a difference for our communities, our world, the environment and it’s creatures (in no particular order).
Making a donation in someone’s name or purchasing merchandise from charity shops is a great way to show your love for both the charity and the recipient. It’s a win, win: You can support your favorite charities and get a tax deduction, and often you can send the recipient an email notifying them of your gift.
I also encourage you to shop small and “vote with your wallet” whenever possible by choosing to buy gifts locally (here’s a list for Seattle) and from brands owned by women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community.
Happy Holidays!
*I am not affiliated with these charities or businesses and I do not receive and incentives or commissions for referrals.
Legal Voice
As intersectional feminists, Legal Voice believes that all women and LGBTQ people should be able to live their lives with dignity, safety, and autonomy. They work to advance gender, racial, and economic justice through litigation, policy advocacy, and community education – creating and enforcing strong, equitable laws and empowering people to know their rights.
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project promotes justice by defending and advancing the rights of immigrants through direct legal services, systemic advocacy, and community education.
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project strives for justice and equity for all persons, regardless of where they were born.
One of my personal favorite charities, Old Dog Haven uses a large network of foster homes to provide loving, safe homes for unadoptable senior dogs in need in western Washington. ODH places dogs in permanent foster homes and cover all needed veterinary care for as long as they have a good quality of life. In addition, they assist rescues, shelters and owners in finding new homes for senior adoptable dogs through their website, social media and referrals.
Nova Ukraine & the Nova Ukraine Store
Nova Ukraine is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine and raising awareness about Ukraine in the United States and throughout the world.
To foster resilience, hope, and self-sufficiency, Nova Ukraine provides essential aid to vulnerable populations, including children, refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as wounded defenders undergoing treatment.
Mercy Corps is a global team of humanitarians, working together on the front lines of today's biggest crises to create a future of possibility, where everyone can prosper. Their mission is to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.
Friends of Animals (FoA) is a non-profit, international animal advocacy organization that advocates for the rights of nonhuman animals, free-living and domestic. Their goal is to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world.
The organization also addresses the biggest contributors to climate change caused by human activity—deforestation, animal agriculture and fossil fuels.
EWG’s team of scientists, policy experts, lawyers and communications and data experts work tirelessly to reform our nation’s broken chemical safety and agricultural laws. They push industries to adopt their safety standards and stand against chemicals of concern. EWG educates consumers with actionable information and inspires demand for safer products.
Donate to the Good Neighbor Fund to support food access at Neighborhood Farmers Markets.
The Good Neighbor Fund supports our neighbors who rely on assistance programs like SNAP and other programs, allowing them to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, and protein for their families from local farmers.
Concern Worldwide US & Mission Market by Concern Worldwide
Concern Worldwide’s mission is to help people living in extreme poverty achieve major improvements in their lives that last and spread without ongoing support from Concern.
Created by Concern Worldwide, Mission Market is a retail concept that aims to celebrate culture and craft from the communities we work with around the world. Always handcrafted, ethically sourced, and carefully curated, your purchase helps power their emergency response and long-term development programs.
Started by Matt Nelson, creator of WeRateDogs the 15/10 Foundation fills a void in the animal welfare world by sponsoring dogs with behavioral or medical issues unlikely to ever make it out of the shelter. It hopes to channel the overwhelming support the WeRateDogs audience has shown for years into effective care for the dogs who need it most. For as little as $5 a month, you can become a member of the 15/10 Foundation and help them sponsor more shelter dogs, removing their financial hindrances to adoption and expediting their happily ever after.
American Civil Liberties Union & the ACLU Shop
The American Civil Liberties Union is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and laws. It does this through litigation, lobbying, public education, and advocacy on a wide range of issues, including free speech, racial justice, immigrants' rights, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ rights. The organization files lawsuits, works with lawmakers, and raises public awareness to protect and expand civil liberties for all people.
Ipas is an international organization that works with partners around the world to advance reproductive justice by expanding access to abortion and contraception. They aim to build sustainable abortion ecosystems that address all factors impacting a person's ability to access abortion-from individual health knowledge, to social and community support, to a trained health workforce, to political leadership and supportive laws. IPAS also partners with local organizations to educate communities on reproductive health and rights, to advocate for legal abortion, and to support local champions for reproductive justice.
