Charity gifts: spending to benefit everyone

“Cause marketing” – purchases that benefit a profit company and a non-profit organization – isn’t always the best way to give to charity. After all, if you want to donate to a cause, just donate! More money goes to the cause, then! But here’s the thing: it helps generate revenue when people otherwise wouldn’t have given.

In other words, I wasn’t likely to donate to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency), but then came Neil Gaiman’s Humble Bundle benefiting those charities. So, time to spend.

Know of any good cause marketing events going on right now? Or, any good charities that let you donate as a gift to someone? Let us know in the comments. Meanwhile, here are a few ideas:

• Buy or donate a Lucky Iron Fish to combat iron deficiency, or anything from LifeStraw to help deliver clean water where it’s needed.
• Donate to Planned Parenthood in someone’s honor.
• Donate to Doctors Without Borders as a tribute.
• Donate to the ACLU (civil liberties).
• Donate to the EFF (digital rights).
• Donate to a local food bank or shelter. Here in TX, we have the North Texas Food Bank and many shelters.
• Donate to the organization of your choice.
• AND do your online shopping from smile.amazon.com, and it benefits charities.

Here’s even more. What else?

-YANA