The Gift of Giving
In lieu of gifts this Holiday Season, I would like to encourage my friends and family (maybe even a stranger or two!) to donate to the organizations that I believe are making an incredible impact on the world.
I have chosen the following organizations based on my interests and the causes I that I care most about. While I wish I could give to every organization that I believe in, the reality is that I cannot. That is why I wanted to share my list with YOU, in the hope that my generosity will motivate YOU to donate to an organization that YOU believe in!
Here are four organizations that I hold near and dear to my heart and the reasons why I have chosen to donate to them this holiday season!
The International Rescue Committee
Helping people to survive, recover and reclaim control of their future.
Charity Navigator Score: 91.16 /100
Why I like it: Because ALL people deserve basic Human Rights!
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic well-being, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is currently at work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. (Charity Navigator)
My Thoughts
Earlier this year, a friend of mine came to me and asked for my help to plan a fundraiser for the IRC. He was fed up with the way refugees were being treated domestically and abroad and he knew that I shared these frustrations. We put together an event and ended up raising over $2,000 for the IRC!
It was my first independent fundraiser (not for work, school, or an organization I was directly involved with) and it was a huge success. While my friend was actually the one to introduce me to the IRC, I have since fallen in love with the organization and all that they do.
The IRC is at the front lines of the refugee crisis. They help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future.
The IRC is highly acclaimed as one of the highest-ranking nonprofits for accountability, transparency, and efficient use of contributions! So, if you choose to donate, your money will be used to fund programs that deliver lifesaving care to people fleeing conflict and natural disaster.
Here are the Facts
- 68.5 million individuals are forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations. Of these 68.5 million people: 25.4 million are refugees, 40 million are internally displaced people; and 3.1 million are asylum-seekers.
- More than half the refugees around the globe are under the age of 18, even though children make up 31% of the world's population.
- Syria alone is considered one of the worst modern humanitarian crisis of our time. Half the country's pre-war population (more than 11 million) have been killed or forced to flee.
- New displacement remains very high. One person becomes displaced every 2 seconds – less than the time it takes to read this sentence. That’s 30 people who are newly displaced every minute.
**If you would like to better understand what defines a refugee or an asylum seeker I found this page to be helpful.
Of every $1 the IRC spends, more than 89￠ goes to programs and services that directly benefit people affected by crisis.
If you are interested in giving to the IRC, you can donate to the website directly. In addition to a traditional donation page, the IRC has a fun feature that allows you to purchase symbolic Rescue Gifts. I think this is a great way to feel more connected to where your money is going. You can choose from options like a Year of School, Clean Water, Newborn Baby Kits, and Women's Small Business Training! There are over 40 options ranging from $15 to $1,500 making this an affordable and meaningful gift!
If your budget is tight this year, think about volunteering your time!
Amazon Conservation Association
Conserving the biological diversity of the Amazon Basin
Charity Navigator Score: 100/100 (ummmmm... !!!)
Why I like it: To Support Scientific Research and Protect the Amazon
Founded in 1999, the Amazon Conservation Association (ACA) works to conserve the biological diversity of the Amazon. We work to protect biodiversity by studying ecosystems and developing innovative conservation tools to protect land in the region while supporting the livelihoods of local communities. We work by forging ties with governments, nonprofits and people who depend on the rainforests for their livelihood, with the goal of saving rare species and habitats and learning from the land. Scientific research guides our approach, which strives for concrete, measurable achievements. ACA has offices in Washington, DC. (Charity Navigator)
My Thoughts
For some of you, it may be obvious why I am choosing an organization that works to conserve the Amazon. In 2016, I spent some time living and studying in the Cloud and Amazon Forests of Peru. It was an amazing experience that I will hold close for the rest of my life. I love Peru, the people, the food, the environment – everything. I also love the Amazon rainforest and it desperately needs to be understood and protected. We are losing rainforest at an unprecedented rate, destroying unimaginable biodiversity... and a place I really love.
The ACA operates three biological stations in Peru, I was lucky to live at two of them: The Los Amigos Research Station and The Wayqecha Cloud Forest Research Station (pictured above!).
Over the past 19 years, Amazon Conservation has worked on the ground to empower people, protect wild places, and put science to work for conservation (Annual Impact Report, 2017).
In 2017 some of their major achievements include: protecting over 4 million acres of forests, training 500 farmers and harvesters to implement best practices, exposing over 450,000 acres of deforestation, and directly impacting over 20,000 individuals with their programs.
While I believe that the Amazon should be protected for its intrinsic value, I understand that most people don’t hold the same worldview as me, so here are eight reasons why we should be protecting the Amazon:
1. Biodiversity
- The Amazon is home to more plant and animal species than any other terrestrial ecosystem on the planet, including at least 40,000 plant species, 2.5 million insect species, 2,200 fishes species and 427 mammal species. One in five of all bird species live in the Amazon rainforest.
2. Medicinal Potential
- 70% of the plants identified as useful in the treatment of cancer only grow in the Amazon Rainforest (National Cancer Institute, ACA Annual Impact Report, 2017).
3. Climate Change
- The Amazon helps to stabilize the earth’s climate and slow global climate change by fixing CO2 and producing 20% of the world’s oxygen in the process. Protecting the Amazon Rainforest is key in the fight against climate change.
4. Global Cycles
- The Amazon helps maintain the water cycle by producing large quantities of rainfall every year (1/5 of the world’s freshwater is found in the Amazon Basin). Moisture from the Amazon influences rainfall as far away as Central America and the western US.
5. Ethnic Diversity
- It is home to 350 ethnic groups. These people deserve to have their lives and livelihoods protected, and the ACA works with the community to empower people and implement best practices.
6. Beauty
- It is an absolutely gorgeous place. We have already destroyed so much of the world's natural and wild environments, we must protect the rest of these rare places.
7. Eco-Tourism
- Coming from the US, there is nothing like the wonder of the Amazon rainforest, protect this place for generations to come. Eco-Tourism is also a growing part of local economies, when done right at the community level it provides a sustainable livelihood for local peoples.
8. Magnificence
- The Amazon Rainforest is the world’s largest, most diverse tropical rainforest covering an area of 5.5 million square kilometers. Humans are systematically destroying it, over the past 20 years, deforestation in the Amazon has consumed at least half a million square kilometers, let's try to stop this!
A 2007 study estimated that with 40 percent Amazon deforestation, a tipping point could be reached, which would force large swathes of forest to switch to arid savannah . Two newly considered factors in a 2016 study – climate change and fires – have now reduced that estimated tipping point to 20-25 percent. Current deforestation is at 17 percent. (Annual Impact Report, 2017).
Donating to the Amazon Conservation Association not only protects this amazing place, it will make it possible for curious minds to go and to these places to learn, conduct research, and experience the beauty of the Amazon. If you're wondering how your donation helps, check out this list on their donation page, and give in honor of a loved one this holiday season!
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council)
The Earth's best defense
Charity Navigator Score: 93.49
Why I Like it: Focusing on Science, Litigation and Advocacy protect our Environment.
The Natural Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) purpose is to safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants, its animals and the natural systems on which all life depends. We work to restore the integrity of the elements that sustain life - air, land, and water - and to defend endangered natural places. We seek to establish sustainability and good stewardship of the Earth as central ethical imperatives of human society. NRDC affirms the integral place of human beings in the environment. We strive to protect nature in ways that advance the long-term welfare of present and future generations. We work to foster the fundamental right of all people to have a voice in decisions that affect their environment. (Charity Navigator)
This year if you give to the NRDC before December 31st it will be TRIPLE MATCHED! That’s downright awesome!
My Thoughts
It is a no brainer why I would support this organization, they work to protect the Earth from people who are trying to destroy it. To create a sustainable and healthy world for future generations. SIMPLE.
Here are the amazing areas in which the NRDC works:
Climate Change
Fighting climate change by cutting carbon pollution and expanding clean energy is the best way to build a better future for our children.
NRDC is tackling the climate crisis at its source: pollution from fossil fuels. We work to reduce our dependence on these dirty sources by expanding clean energy across cities, states, and nations. We win court cases that allow the federal government to limit carbon pollution from cars and power plants. We help implement practical clean energy solutions. And we fight oil and gas projects that would pump out even more pollution.
Communities
More than 80 percent of Americans live in cities and suburbs—and this number is skyrocketing.
NRDC programs help create strong, just, and resilient communities—making cities healthier, more sustainable places to live. We work to lower energy bills, reduce flooding, improve access to healthier food, and make it cheaper and easier for everyone to get around. And when polluters threaten communities, our lawyers go to court on their behalf.
Energy
Expanding clean energy protects our health, air, climate, and last wild places.
NRDC accelerated the shift from fossil fuels to clean energy when we pressed the U.S. government to adopt the first-ever national limits on carbon pollution from power plants. We promote policies that make our cars, buildings, appliances, and everyday gadgets more efficient. We help communities fight dangerous fossil-fuel extraction operations in their backyards. And we collaborate with other countries to promote a global vision for—and an accelerated transition to—a clean energy future.
Food
Few everyday decisions are more important to our health—or the health of our planet—than choosing what we eat.
NRDC pushes corporations and policymakers to reduce harmful chemicals in our food. We fight for stronger pollution controls on industrial farms and help small farmers safeguard their crops against climate change. We also develop initiatives to reduce food waste and promote sustainability from farm to fork.
Health
Getting rid of toxic chemicals in our environment—in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the products we buy—helps protect the health of millions of people.
When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Food and Drug Administration fail to protect Americans, workers, and children from dangerous chemicals, NRDC takes them to court. We fought for reforms that took millions of pounds of the most harmful pesticides off the market. And we team up with communities to wipe out indoor health hazards, including mold in public housing.
Oceans
Oceans help feed the world, provide a living for millions of people, and are home to most of the life on the planet.
NRDC works to protect our seas from pollution and exploitation. We help implement laws that allow overfished species to rebound, and we fight to protect coastal communities from offshore drilling. We work to ban destructive fishing practices, conserve ocean treasures, and improve stewardship of the world’s shared oceans, which generate trillions of dollars in economic activity.
Water
Clean water sustains our communities, economies, ecosystems, and health.
In the early 1970s, NRDC helped win passage of the Clean Water Act, our nation's bedrock water-pollution law. Since then, we have continued to fight for a clean, safe, and sufficient water supply. We push the federal government to strengthen protections for drinking-water sources, and we find ways for cities to keep pollution out of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters—both for our benefit and the benefit of fish and wildlife. Our work also helps homes, buildings, farms, and power plants use water as efficiently as possible, so that there's plenty for all of us and for future generations.
The Wild
We rely on wilderness not only to inspire and enjoy but also to protect our watersheds, clean the air we breathe, and provide a home for the diverse species that enrich our world.
NRDC protects wildlife and unspoiled lands from the threats of industrial development, commercial exploitation, pollution, and climate change. We partner with ranchers, farmers, energy companies, and the government to promote solutions that help wild predators coexist with livestock and people. We push for international agreements that shield polar bears, elephants, rhinos, and other animals from being killed for trade. And we fight to keep reckless oil and gas drilling out of wild areas, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Boreal Forest.
It is also important to highlight How They Work, the NRDC focuses their efforts in five main ways: Science, Litigation, Advocacy, Business, and Partnerships.
I don’t see what’s not to love! The work that the NRDC makes me feel good inside and I wish I had a billion dollars to give them. Triple your impact this yea by donating by December 31st and if you're a big balla, you can set up an automatic monthly gift to really help get sh*t done.
Human Rights Watch
Defending and protecting human rights
Charity Navigator Score: 89.23
Why I like it: They investigate Human Rights Abuses, Expose the Facts, and Pressure Those With Power to Respect Rights and Secure Justice!
Human Rights Watch is one of the world's leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. By focusing international attention where human rights are violated, we give voice to the oppressed and hold oppressors accountable for their crimes. Our rigorous, objective investigations and strategic, targeted advocacy build intense pressure for action and raise the cost of human rights abuse. For 30 years, Human Rights Watch has worked tenaciously to lay the legal and moral groundwork for deep-rooted change and has fought to bring greater justice and security to people around the world.
Another opportunity to multiply your impact, an anonymous donor has offered to match up to $2,000,000. Double Impact! That's lit.
My Thoughts
Human rights, man. This subject gets me every time. I stand on the moral ground that everyone (no matter what) deserves basic human rights. It shocks me just how far this world and my country falls short. Basic needs, basic rights, it tears me apart inside and brings me to tears when I think about people suffering systematic abuses. Who will advocate for them? Who can stand up for their rights when they are not able to? That’s where, in part, Human Rights Watch comes in.
HRW exposes human rights violations across the globe and moves governments and other powerful organizations to take action to stop the abuses. They bring to light to some of the darkest corners of the world, exposing untold horrors with the intention to drive decision makers to act.
In college when I was trying to figure out what to do with my life and what I could do to make a difference in the world, I took a Global Studies Class. In that class, Peter Bouckaert, the Emergencies Director at HRW came and spoke about HRW and their international efforts. This is one of the few lectures that stuck with me from college and in many ways, it was my introduction to social issues (I had previously been focused on mainly environmental issues). I will always be grateful that I went to class that day and to Peter Bouckaert for coming to speak, as I am sure he inspired many other students as well.
So if you want to help expose human rights abuses like torture, violence against women, and child exploitation–then give to Human Rights Watch, remember your gift will be DOUBLED!
If you want to treat yourself to some light Holiday Reading... and you would like to educate yourself on the current state of our world, HRW has a huge, 660 page World Report outlining their review of human rights around the globe.
Hey, Thank You!
If you decided to act by donating to one of these organizations–or any organization that you believe in, thank you so much! If these five orgs just aren't you cup of tea, I did a bit of research and found a few lists that I think will be helpful to help you find an organization aligned with what you care about most!
*Before Donating* It is best practice to research where the money you donate goes to. For most organizations you can get a basic score and an in-depth overview at Charity Navigator.
Other Great Organizations!
Animal Rights
Education
Environmental
Health
Homelessness (Bay Area)
Human Rights
Other Articles
If you have an organization that you are passionate about I would love to learn more, write a comment or send me a personal message. Thanks again and Happy Holidays!
Creative Director at Founders Agency
5 年Thank you for sharing!
Founder and CEO of Member.buzz
5 年Such an important topic!