Affordable Gifts that Give
The majority of us have enough; and there are so many places and people that are much less fortunate than ourselves. I still love to give and receive gifts over the holidays; and especially gifts that also give back. If you still have some last minute holiday shopping to do, consider some of these interesting, thoughtful gifts that support awesome causes.
Punjammies by Sundara are made by women in India who have escaped the world of human trafficking. This company provides jobs and a steady income for the women who were formerly “slaves” of the red light district. I love these cute lounge wear pants and definitely have them on my Xmas wish list for the perfect pjs! There is also an opportunity to make a donation towards the cause, on their site.
QALO silicone wedding rings- 10% of the profits of the purple QALO rings go towards the lupus foundation and 20% of the Barbells for Boobs collection goes towards fighting breast cancer. These rings are made of comfortable, flexible, medical grade silicone to eliminate the pinch and damage caused by your traditional wedding ring. Kind of a cool story about how and why they were made. QALO stands for quality, athletics, love, outdoors…hey I can stand by that!
Without entrepreneurs we wouldn’t have any of the innovative products you see on this list. Help an entrepreneur achieve their dreams while organizing your own life (or in this case the gift recipient’s) by purchasing a Passion Planner. After a very recent kickstarter campaign, Passion Planner was able to become a give one, get one organization. So your purchase will pay it forward twofold. They come in different sizes and options, so they are able to fit any schedule. I’d recommend picking up a cool limited edition #stayGOALden.
Thinx– Panties for girls who get periods (they’re pretty similar to teen period panties brand Knixteen). Yes this is an odd gift, but its the gift that saves. Saves money, saves face and saves the less fortunate in Africa from missing school. These undies are the newest evolution in feminine products and are quite ingenious if you ask me. Designed for active women’s protection they are affordable and don’t look bad. With each purchase the company sends funds to its partner organization AFRIpads to provide jobs and proper menstruation products to young girls in Uganda.
Soma Water Filter– Not only does this water filter look beautiful, it works really well. I’ve always hated the hassle of changing out my filter on my old pitcher and Soma has solved all of my problems. They use plant based filters and deliver new ones straight to my door, so I never forget to replace them. The coolest thing about this sleek filter, is that it every time you buy a Soma filter, they donate to charity: water projects. These contributions go directly to sustainable, community-owned water projects in developing countries.
Hopefully these gifts have given you some ideas for this holiday or anytime you want to give someone (or yourself) something special that also helps other people as well. We truly are all connected and it what comes around goes around.
Kristin McGee is a celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor in New York City. She is currently teaching yoga with Peloton. She is the star of over 100 videos, seen in several magazines and tv shows and is a spokeswoman for many brands and causes she believes in. A proud mom to three, she sure keeps herself busy!
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