Why, when and what to donate to charities or campaigns that are close to your heart

There’s really no right or wrong way to give back. Some people make financial donations, while others prefer to donate their time or skills. It’s not about how you do it, but about your intent to do good.

There are countless ways you can donate, and countless organizations or movements that you can donate to — you’ve just gotta find what works best for you. If you’re time-poor but have a disposable income, you can set up rolling monthly donations or buy products from causes you believe in. If you’re low on funds but have a lot of spare time, you can look into doing volunteer shifts for a charity.

Let’s all make a pact to start ‘giving back’ as much as we can, agreed? Every little thing we do, helps create a happy and more harmonious world for us all to live in.

Why should I donate to charities or campaigns?

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we’re all in this together. Giving is really important, and can be rewarding, too — not just for recipients but for you as well. 

There’s no denying the surge of happiness you feel when you do a good deed or make a donation. It gives you the opportunity to show gratitude, and to humbly reflect on the privileges you’ve been handed.

Plus, you’ll be setting an excellent example! If children or other people in your life see you regularly donating time or money, they’ll hopefully feel inspired to do the same. 

Giving can be like a chain reaction. And the more people dedicated to helping others, the better.

5 ways you can donate to charities or campaigns

1.Donating money

Money is one of the most common, and straightforward, ways to give back. There are endless places that would appreciate a charitable donation, so it’s about finding a cause that resonates with you. 

If you want to steer clear from global organizations and stay local, look on Kickstarter or GoFund me for people in your community who need help. Or research local groups that campaign for causes you believe in — like helping LGBT youth, providing free legal aid for immigrants, or teaching disadvantaged girls to code. 

2. Set up monthly donations

Once you find a cause you really believe in, you can set up monthly donations to be deducted from your bank account each month. It doesn’t have to be major, even just $5 a month can go a long way. 

Payroll schemes also exist to automatically pass on a percentage of your wage, making donations easy and hassle-free to manage. Like giving back on autopilot!

If your employer doesn’t have something like this, maybe you could suggest it to HR? Or if you own your own business, it’s something you could introduce for your employees. 

3. Donate your time

This can be hard for some people, but if you have a little spare time every week or month, you could become a volunteer. There are so many ways to do it: coaching youth sports, delivering meals to the elderly, tutoring kids at your local elementary school, serving food at a soup kitchen, collecting donations outside grocery stores, or even just helping vulnerable people in the community run errands. 

This is a great opportunity to get your friends and family involved as well. Invite them to tag along with you while you’re volunteering so they can see what it’s like, or post about what you’re doing on social media to encourage others to be as giving with their time as you are. 

4. Donate clothes, food, and unwanted gifts

Have you been putting off a huge closet clear-out for… months? Well here’s your motivation! 

Why not treat 2021 as a fresh start, and get rid of all the things you haven't worn or used this year? I bet there’d be bags full! Goodwill is always taking clothing donations, while women’s shelters are a great place to donate business wear or makeup. 

If you were one of those people who stocked up on canned goods and dried beans at the beginning of the pandemic, only to continue using food delivery apps, don’t let them go to waste! There are always local food drives or food banks looking for donations, and they’d be happy to take those cans off your hands! 

Clear cupboards for you, fully bellies for those going hungry!

5. Give as you shop

Keep your eye out for non-profit brands and businesses with a social or environmental mission. Buying from these companies means that your hard-earned money goes straight to somewhere, or someone, in need. 

If you’d allow me a gentle plug, I’ve set up my very own non-profit jewelry range, to help keep our global bee populations alive, with all profits to charity. Other great examples come from Tentree and Amour Vert.

Ethical shopping gives back every time to splash out or stock up — so don’t hold back!