Donated by Anonymous (me!)
One of my favorite and most subversive Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes is titled The Anonymous Donor. In this episode, Larry David donates a wing of a museum in his own name only to be upstaged by his friend Ted Danson who is humbly bragging that he also donated a wing, but Anonymously!
Let me be clear, everyone should give what they want, where they want, and how they want, as long as they just give! Nonetheless, this week’s Find will show you enhanced ways to give!
Imagine you are looking for a trip over Fourth of July because you can’t bear to be in the Hamptons that weekend with the crowds … OMG! Where should you go and what should you do? I urge you not to panic and visit upstart Visit.org; it is a site that allows you to book charitable excursions around a planned itinerary, or vice versa. Started by a female Israeli pilot and computer engineer, the mission is to increase awareness of great social organizations by facilitating unique and personal experiences. You can browse by cause (Agriculture, Animals, Human Rights, and more) or by location. I will warn you that this company is very new, but they are doing it right. Each organization goes through an extensive vetting process. They are very transparent and all the money from the booking goes to the organization and Visit.Org receives a 20% fee. Meet rescued chimpanzees and macaques in Girona Spain. How about joining a community effort to build homes in Mexico? These experiences will enhance the richness of your travels, expand the possibilities of your charitable endeavors, and will be feel good fun!
Now that you have chosen a destination or activity (maybe even before), you should learn more about the charitable organization. Charity Navigator is your guide to charitable giving. If you are looking for information on a not-for-profit, this is the perfect place to start. They have compiled data on the most eligible charities, including contact information, contribution breakdown, revenue/expense trend, as well as accountability and transparency. Before you fill out the pledge card at the charity dinner, you may want to have a look here and see how efficient they are at giving away money! The other benefit is to find charities that may be of interest. Are you looking for an organization that is working with Syrian Refugees that spends more than $13.5m and has a consistent 4 star rating? This is your source!
Charity + Beach = Nirvana
As Memorial Day approaches, get ready for summer and make the world a better place. These 3 companies can provide you with great sunglasses, a killer beach bag, and an indestructible beach ball, all while helping to repair the world:
Warby Parker Sunglasses: Almost one billion people worldwide lack access to glasses, which means that 15% of the world’s population cannot effectively learn or work. To help address this problem, Warby Parker partners with non-profits like VisionSpring to ensure that for every pair of glasses sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need. Pretty cool!
Feed Sea Side Summer Bag: Hunger is a daily reality and a problem for 805 million people around the world. Every time you buy a FEED product, you are participating in the solution. Each bag bought donates meals to children in need around the world AND the bags are fabulously chic!
One World Play Project: You can’t go to the beach with out a little entertainment. As a soccer player myself (shoutout to the Geezers), I know well and understand the power of play both mentally and physically. Many children around the world do not have the ability to buy and/or access a soccer ball. When you buy a buy one/give one ball, a ball gets donated to children in need AND the ball never goes flat, outlasts regular balls and plays anywhere (sand, turf, rocky landscapes, street, etc).
Enjoy your substantive summer travels and feel good beach shopping and consider Visit.org, Charity Nav,Warby Parker Sunglasses, Feed Sea Side Bags and One World futbols Found!