The turkey has been carved and the Black-Friday-Cyber-Monday stampede of sleep deprived shoppers and whacky sales have expired. Now it’s time we turn it down a few notches and reflect on the meaning of the holiday season: to share and to give.
Lucky for you, tomorrow is #GivingTuesday, an international 24-hour giving event that focuses less on buying and more on giving. This is the fifth year of the event that “kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.” according the to official #GivingTuesday website.
So, who do you donate to this #GivingTuesday? Think about what’s most important to you.
There’s probably one issue that sticks out whether it’s climate change, helping those less fortunate, or the weekly beach clean up down the street. This won’t be the same for everyone, it often depends on your community, your passions, and your concerns, but that doesn’t matter, what’s important is that you are getting involved.
Whether it be locally or nationally, join in the collaborative campaign and donate to any organization this #GivingTuesday… Maybe a Facebook shoutout, a one time or recurring donation, or simply showing up in person to help out.
Here are 6 entities that encompass social good and the outdoors to share the stoke with:
For: The surfer who wants to travel differently and make a difference on their next surf trip.
Check out: WAVES International
WAVES International believes that surf travel should benefit the people and the communities where it happens. WAVES connects the dots between volunteering, traveling to surf, community-based tourism and grassroots initiatives by offering life-changing surf volunteer trips to destinations in Peru, Nicaragua, and Mexico. If you can’t go on the trip yourself, consider donating to the nonprofit to support the locals in the growing surf communities. Some other ideas on where to direct your surf philanthropy can be found here.
Donate Page | Website | Facebook | Instagram
For: The girls off and on the mountain.
Check out: She Jumps
She Jumps lives “to increase the participation of women & girls in outdoor activities.” This group of girl-go-getters expose young ladies to action sports in order to increase self confidence and grow up having strong female role models. Some of the She Jumps programs range from an Alpine Fishing School, ‘Get The Girls Out’ events, and more! Get involved on a local level in one of their seven regional locations around the US. These ladies are definitely worth checking out.
Donate Page | Website | Facebook | Instagram
For: The skater, surfer, snowboarder becoming the leaders of tomorrow…
Check out: STOKED
The team over at STOKED is closing the opportunity gap in low-income neighborhoods through action sports, mentoring and entrepreneurship programs. STOKED runs after school programs, a mentoring “coach” program, and interactive workshops like how to build your own skateboard. STOKED’s mission reads that when you “place kids in environments that not only changes their perspective, it changes their lives.”
Donate Page | Website | Facebook | Instagram
For: The climbers who care…
Check out: Access Fund
One organization you should put on your watch list is Access Fund. Access Fund is protecting climbing areas around the US so they not only can continue to climb, but for the future of the environment, too. This group, which was recently voted one of the best places to work, are taking their efforts to government officials, cleaning up local climbing sites, and educating community members to lower their impact and protect their precious lands.
Donate Page | Website | Facebook | Instagram
For: Anyone even slightly worried about the oceans, climate change and sea level rise…
Check out: Parley
Parley for the Oceans is a relatively new initiative that addresses major threats to the oceans easily considered the ‘most important ecosystem of our planet’. With events, talks and ‘facing ocean plastic’ they encourage us to Avoid Intercept & Redesign – and disrupt the cycle. There’s a variety of ways to get involved and join the movement where ‘creators, thinkers, and leaders raise awareness for our oceans and collaborate on projects that can end their destruction’. Sounds good to me.
Website | Facebook | Instagram
For: The adventurers affected by cancer…
Check out: First Descents
Unfortunately, cancer affects nearly everyone killing more than 1,500 people a day in America. Good news: First Descents is an organization making strides to empower those who are fighting this nasty disease. The organization, whose programs are available to patients free of charge, offers young adult cancer fighters and survivors life-changing outdoor programs “designed to empower them to climb, paddle and surf beyond their diagnosis, defy their cancer, reclaim their lives and connect with others doing the same” says their website. What an organization! To get involved, you can sign up as a staff volunteer, donate a monetary gift, or host a fundraising project.
Donate Page | Website | Facebook | Instagram
