10 Online Shops that Support Nonprofit Fundraising or Promote a Cause Part 1

The holidays are upon us and so is the season of giving and contributing to nonprofit fundraising. As I have previously written, in Canada we declared National Philanthropy Day and in the US the shopping/giving season was launched with #GivingTuesday. When you are creating your shopping lists, why not continue this giving theme and use your power as a consumer to give gifts that also do some good.

It is projected that online shopping will grow to a staggering $96 billion this year and we have found some great online shopping options that help to make the world a better place. In the first part of this 3 part series, I am featuring 10 online shops that support charitable organizations promoting the health of the planet, animals or support fair trade.

1. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) “is Canada’s largest international conservation organization with the active support of more than 150,000 Canadians.” The WWF Gift Shop has a variety of amazing personal gifts for women, men and children. They also offer the Wildlife Adoptions complete with adoption kits (with certificates – see image to right) as well as Gifts for a Living Planet which includes stuff like helping to keep a polar bear cool and giving a panda bear room to grow among other unique gifts.
2. Environmental Defense’s mission is to “challenge, and inspire change in government, business and people to ensure a greener, healthier and prosperous life for all”. This season, they are encouraging Canadians to “inspire change with your holiday shopping” with one of their Gifts for the Future which “ensure that our environment remains protected and healthy – today, tomorrow, and for future generations.”
3. Sea Shepherd Online Store purchases help to “end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.”
4. National Wildlife Federation Online Store offers everything from Christmas ornaments to clothing and their nature inspired items help in their work to “inspire Americans to protect wildlife for [their] children’s future.”
5. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Online Store (ASPCA) carries a variety of gifts for adults, children and even pets.
6. Best Friends Animal Society Store donates a portion of every dollar spent on gifts for people or pets to running their no-kill animal sanctuary in the United States.
7. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Online Catalogue (PETA) has a vast online catalogue with some very cool things that are sure to satisfy those pesky/lovely vegan/vegetarian’s on your list. They are also endorsed by the likes of Sir Paul McCartney (check out the uber cool lunch bag to the right).
8. Ten Thousand Villages Fair Trade Gift Store offers interesting and unique items at their online shop. Through their store, Ten Thousand Villages, “create[s] opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to our markets through long-term, fair trading relationships.”
9. SERRV Fair Trade Online Gift Store carries every fair trade item from food to clothing. Their mission “is to eradicate poverty wherever it resides by providing opportunity and support to artisans and farmers worldwide.”
10. Bridgehead’s online store offers a variety of competitively priced coffees, teas, chocolates, baked goods and accessories all produced with a commitment to fair trade values, organic agriculture, the environment and supporting local communities.

As you can see you can easily find a meaningful gift for just about anyone even the person who has everything. I will be back next week with more options for last minute holiday gift-giving that keeps on giving.

Happy shopping!

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Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.