Holiday buying season is upon us - and the frenzy is frightening. I pledge that this year, I will only buy gifts that benefit charities/nonprofits. Will you join me?
There's just one rule - every gift or holiday purchase you make has to benefit a nonprofit or charity. You decide what cause, what organization, what issue. You can buy directly from a charity or via a store that donates to nonprofits (including small businesses who support local nonprofits - most do!).
Loophole:
If you HAVE to buy something that breaks the rule (e.g. I always buy x specfic thing for my mom from x specific store every year and I don't want to break the tradition) then you can donate to a nonprofit (perferably the same amount) and you'll have kept your promise.
There are TONS of options - all of the "big" nonprofits have online stores, and many smaller nonprofits do as well. Also, most small businesses support local nonprofits with donations and in-kind gifts - just ask your favorite local merchant how they give back. Buying from socially responsible businesses also "counts"!
Here's a roundup of online nonprofit stores that will get you started: 22 Online Gift Stores that Benefit Nonprofits.
Other options:
http://www.dogoodbuy.us/
Amazon has We-Care.com where you click through to merchants (or use coupon codes) and they donate a portion of your purchase to nonprofits. I couldn't find info about exaclty who they donate to exactly, so you may want to do some research before buying through them.
#GivingTuesday's blog offers these suggestions: http://givingtuesday.org/give-back-while-doing-your-gift-giving-this-holiday-season/
Are you broke this year but want to get in on the action? Volunteer!
I recommend checking out the website for the nonprofit you want to donate your time/brain/labor to so you can contact the right person (usually Volunteer Coordinator) via the right channel.
You can also go through your local volunteer center, VolunteerMatch, or just Google "holiday volunteering city".
You can even plan your next vacation around volunteering: http://www.holidayvolunteers.com/
Please remember that nonprofits get deluged with holiday volunteers and they can't always manage the demand, even though they want the help. Be patient and be specific about what you can do and when you're available.
