How You Can Give Back from Home

With much of the global economy shut down, families across the globe are feeling the financial ramifications of the current state of the world.

We know that a lot of people are hurting, and many are facing an uncertain future. In some states, the lockdown has no end in sight, while other states (South Dakota, for example), never shut down at all.

If you’re in a position to help, you’re probably looking for worthy causes to donate to. We found several that we’d love to share with you!

Help Regional Communities by Donating to the United Way

The United Way has approximately 1,200 regional branches throughout the world dedicated to helping communities in need. You can visit the United Way website directly and find a fund that’s either in your community or in a place that’s close to your heart.  Their slogan is, “We believe that all children, young adults, and families deserve the chance to succeed, regardless of zip code or income.”

If you’re short on funds, you can sign up to volunteer or convince your workplace to get involved with a Corporate Engagement campaign.

Venmo

If you know someone directly in need, you can Venmo money to them directly. Venmo is also rewarding you for helping others. In a campaign called “Venmo It Forward,” Venmo is taking notice of the donations people are giving and dropping more money into your account so that you can continue giving to those in need.

GoFundMe

GoFundMe is a crowdsourcing fundraising platform. You can start your own campaign to help a cause you care about or find an existing campaign to donate to. Head over to their site to get inspired by courageous individuals that have raised thousands for those in need.

Humane Society

Pets have had it tough during this crisis. While some dogs and cats are thrilled to have their owners working from home, others have not been so lucky. Financial hardship and rumors about animals contracting and spreading during these times has led to many animals being abandoned on the streets or dumped in shelters.

You can do your part to help support shelters or families that are trying to feed their pets or give them veterinary treatment. Donate directly to The Humane Society to help make a difference.

Support Businesses that Give Back

Insider Mag has put together a list of more than 50 brands that are giving back to communities and charities. As the saying goes, “every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.”

What we love about supporting businesses that give back is that your money helps in two ways:

1. Businesses are getting financial support from you. Other than places like Amazon and Costco, most businesses are seeing a decrease in revenue from having to close or limit the operations of their physical locations.

2. These businesses can make a bigger impact because they’re collecting a larger amount of funds than you could raise on your own.

Of the list of businesses helping, here are some of our favorites:

• Purple Carrot, a plant-based meal delivery service, is donating a portion of sales to Feeding America.
  
• Paige, a clothing company that makes the best jeans ever, is donating 20% of all profits to St. Vincent Meals on Wheels.
  
• MAC Cosmetics has already allocated $10 million across 250 organizations throughout the world.

• Made In Cookware, a kitchen supply company that sells to everyone from Michelin-star restaurants to households throughout the world, is donating 15% of the sales from their Southern Smoke Collection to a foundation that supports those in the food and beverage industry, many of which are currently unemployed.

• Wellness Natural Pet Food has pledged to give 136,000 pounds of kibble and 46,000 pounds of wet food to Best Friends Animal Society to feed animals and shelters and provide food to families struggling to feed their pets.

Are you an essential worker? We’ve got something special for you!

For a limited time, we’re giving essential workers a 10% off discount that you can use sitewide. Now, more than ever, it’s vital that you look after your health and immune system. We know you’re on the front lines, and we want to do whatever we can to support you.

Stay healthy and safe!