Gift Giving Back to
| The Environment | Animals | Mental Health | Human Rights |
Stressful as holiday shopping can be, research suggests it’s good for you. Plenty of studies support the benefits of giving, confirming the old adage “it’s better to give than to receive. For example, a study by researchers at the University of British Columbia and the Harvard Business School found that people report dramatically greater happiness if they spend money on gifts for others.
If you want to kick the good feels up a notch, consider spending money on a gift that also gives back. Charitable gifts are basically a double whammy of warm fuzzies: You get one fuzzy dose from gift-giving and a second fuzzy dose by contributing to the greater good. You can find options that fuel a number of worthy causes, from gifts that give back to the environment to gifts that give back to mental health organizations.
To help you hunt down the perfect philanthropic present, we’ve rounded up the coolest gifts that give back in 2022. These are brands offering some or all of their proceeds to organizations that support causes like animal rescue, mental health and human rights.
Gifts Giving Back to the Environment
Parks Project: Power to the Parks Shrooms Polaroid Camera
The official nonprofit arm of the National Park Service, the Parks Project contributes funds and resources to the national parks across the U.S.
The nonprofit offers a slew of super cool gift ideas — from park-scented candles to two-person hammocks — but our favorite might have to be this refurbished vintage Polaroid camera, featuring a colorful “Power to the Parks” design. The working camera uses Polaroid 600 Film, which you purchase separately.
Uncommon Goods: Fitness & Recovery Massage Cube
Designed by women-owned, certified B-Corp KOA+ROY, this fitness cube is massaged on your muscles during pre-or post-workout. The cube is made with menthol, cocoa butter, essential oils, and other ingredients to reduce pain and inflammation.
Where does the “give back” come in? For every one of these nifty cubes sold, KOA+Roy plants a tree via the nonprofit organization One Tree Planted. Bonus: The cube is packaged in locally sourced, plastic-free packaging.
Lush: Charity Pot Body Lotion
A gift that gives back to noble causes and makes your body smell like ylang-ylang and rosewood? Put us down for two. Charity Pot Body Lotion, from beloved ethically sourced skincare brand Lush, contains ingredients sourced from projects that support regenerative international agriculture.
With every purchase of the Charity Pot, 100% goes to grassroots organizations that support noble causes like environmental protection.
Gifts Giving Back to Animals
Grounds & Hounds Coffee: Sunrise Rescue Gift Pack
Grounds & Hounds is on a mission to use organic, eco-friendly coffee sales to help support homeless pups.
The organization donates 20% of every sale of their coffee beans, mugs, and merchandise to animal rescue partners. Their Sunrise Rescue Gift Pack includes three six-ounce bags of their favorite whole bean or ground blends, along with a mug and tote bag. It’s perfect for the person in your life who likes coffee and dogs (and that’s everyone, right?)
Doggy Parton: Backwoods Barbie Throwback LP Record Dog Toy
In honor of her very first record, “Puppy Love,” human saint and dog-lover Dolly Parton released “Doggy Parton” — a line of accessories, toys and gear for pups. Every Doggy Parton purchase funds the Willa B. Farms Animal Rescue, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of homeless abandoned animals.
The collection is full of fun gifts that give back to animals with a Dolly flair. We love this plush record dog toy, which pays tribute to her ninth concert tour, Backwards Barbie. It’s perfect for the person in your life who likes Dolly Parton and dogs (again — everyone, right?)
Gifts Giving Back to Mental Health
PopSockets: Love is Louder Than PopGrip
Committed to driving long-lasting environmental and social change, PopSockets partners with nonprofits and strives to reduce its carbon footprint through free recycling. The brand offers different collections that support hundreds of global nonprofits, helping fund causes like racial equality, COVID relief, and women’s empowerment.
The “Love is Louder Than” PopGrip not only sends an important message, but 50% of its proceeds go to supporting The Jed Foundation — a nonprofit dedicated to protecting emotional health and preventing suicide among teens and young adults.
For the uninitiated, a PopSocket PopGrip is a plastic circle you attach to your phone that extends like a small accordion, allowing for a more comfortable, tighter grip.
Conscious Step: Socks That Support Mental Health
These aptly named socks support the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by mental illness.
Every pair of socks purchased donates $1 to the organization. Beyond their philanthropic pull, these socks are ultrasoft and cozy, and fair-trade, GOTS and vegan-certified to boot.
Gifts That Support Human Rights
Bird + Stone: Black Lives Matter Cleopatra Bracelet Set
Founded on the idea that brands are a force for good, Bird + Stone sells ethically made products supporting organizations that are driving change.
This gift set includes a handmade brass bead bracelet and a Black Lives Matter Cuff. 100% of the profits from the sale of this set will go to The Loveland Foundation and Higher Heights, organizations that support Black women and girls.
Social Goods: 1973 Retro Sweatshirt
This isn’t just a super cute sweatshirt. It pays homage to 1973, the year Roe v. Wade granted the freedom to control our own bodies. $10 from the sale of every sweatshirt goes to The National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH), an organization dedicated to advancing reproductive freedom. The 1973 collection is also available in T-shirt, tote, pin and hat forms.
The post 9 Gifts That Give Back and Make Everyone Feel Warm & Fuzzy appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
