Double Your Giving, Not Your Budget - Make a Difference

Does holiday or corporate gifting sometimes feel like a routine obligation? Do you wonder whether recipients need or want the gifts you choose? Hit the “Re-set” button to refresh and multiply your holiday or corporate gifting program without increasing the budget. With a little effort you can give to someone in need with every unique gift.

You’re probably aware that the shoe company, Tom’s, gives a pair of shoes for every pair sold. You may not know that Tom’s has branched out; buying from them can also give the gift of clean water to someone who doesn’t have it. And you may have heard that Warby Parker gives a pair of glasses for every one they sell, but did you know that they also train people in disadvantaged communities to make glasses and to give basic eye exams?

Of course, there are hundreds of worthy causes and useful, stylish gifts out there. Here are just a few ideas for a memorable gift.

Oxfamgifts.com Give the gift of livestock. Seriously. With a $50 donation, you can provide an animal to a family in need and make a big difference in their lives. Oxfam gifts has a list of other "symbolic" presents you can gift in someone's honor, including providing clean water to a group of people, helping plant a forest, supporting a refugee and giving out books to kids in need. After you make your donation, the honoree receives a personalized card featuring your gift and explaining how it makes a difference.

Sudara.org makes trendy T-shirts and cozy pajamas that help end sex slavery in India. That's a momentous task, given the high rate of human trafficking there. Sudara forges partnerships with indigenous organizations to create sewing centers that employ survivors and "offer these women a fresh start and place to heal."

Daymaker.com is a unique platform that provides a vehicle for kid-to-kid giving. It works with nonprofits and schools to identify impoverished kids that could benefit from things like a new backpack or shoes around back-to-school time, or some cool educational toys during the holidays. Rather than put out a call for general donations, Daymaker then uses a variation of the adopt-a-child fundraising method. It creates profiles of those kids that include a specific wish list of items that you—or your children—can purchase for them.

Drink up for a worthy cause with a case of OneHopewine.com. OneHope says 2,000 children have been provided with medicine through its partnership with the nonprofit End 7.

RomaBoots.com For every pair of fashionable Roma Boots sold; a new pair is donated to a child in need. Not only does the child get a pair of boots, the boots come stuffed with educational supplies. Plus, the company donates 10 percent of its proceeds to the Roma For All Foundation to help these impoverished children break out of their cycle of poverty.

BOGOBowl.com believes all dogs deserve high quality nutrition, whether their bowl is in a cozy kitchen or a shelter kennel. For that reason BOGO Bowl uses a buy one, give one model – when a consumer purchases a bag of high-quality BOGO Bowl food, a matching bag of the same formula is given to a shelter, rescue, or pet pantry in their community so the impact is local.

Readbetweenthelines.com Their very original holiday cards, gifts, desk accessories and wearables make great gifts andalso offer a way give back. A percentage of your purchase goes to Mana Nutrition, a nonprofit addressing childhood malnutrition across the globe, and Rolling Dog Farm, which provides a loving home for disabled dogs and horses.

Yoobi.com Colorful and useful, these school and arts & crafts supplies would make great stocking stuffers for kids. And when you purchase any Yoobi product, another Yoobi product is donated to a classroom in need in the United States. Target also carries Yoobi products.

OAKLifestyle.com sells fashionable and functional backpacks and messenger bags. When you purchase any OAK product, a backpack filled with school supplies is given to a homeless or at-risk youth in the U.S. or Rwanda to support their education.

Thecompanystore.com gives a cozy comforter to a homeless child when you buy a comforter from them.

BabyTeresa.com.au What could be cuter than a baby in baby clothing? Two babies in baby clothing, of course! Baby Teresa sells 100% organic cotton baby clothing and accessories. For each all-in-one baby outfit purchased, Baby Teresa donates another set to a little one in need somewhere in the world; you can even specify where your donation goes!

Smilesquared.com or bogobrush.com The fact is kids across the globe lack basic oral hygiene simply because they don’t have a toothbrush. Not only does this result in poor overall health, but it also affects the child’s confidence level. These BOGO sites, give a brush when you buy one. Hey, maybe you need one yourself!

Best wishes for happy holidays and an amazing new year!