Promoting human rights and animal welfare through charitable contributions
Presents are received or given at any time of the year. The act of celebrating, through a gift, can bring joy to both the giver and the receiver, but what if this gift could also benefit third parties or causes? In this article we propose new ways of seeing and giving gifts. This is an important act that, when it is done, can also have a very positive impact, not only for the people involved, but also for the planet and the beings that inhabit it.
Ideas for solidarity presents
Solidarity presents, or also called gifts with cause, can be distinguished into two different types. This distinction depends on whether their solidarity status is direct or indirect with respect to the person/cause receiving the purpose of the act. Depending on the recipient of the gift, the gift idea will be chosen.
DIRECT PROFIT
Directly conditioned objects are those that are bought to be given directly to the cause for which they are sold. In this case, the person receiving the gift also receives the solidarity action. For those who are interested in this type of presents, here are a couple of examples to follow:
BLUE GIFT
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is an international organisation that defends children’s rights around the world. Among all the actions they carry out and promote, the Blue Gift initiative stands out. A supportive present that can be made in the name of another person. It will be given by the organisation to whoever needs it, thanks to the purchaser. To do so, the sender of the gift must choose the product they want and then choose a gift card and the text that will accompany it. The gift will be delivered by UNICEF, and the card will be sent to the person on whose behalf the purchase was made. In this case, if the purchaser wishes to do the action on behalf of someone else, he or she can choose the theme of the card to be given as a gift. Among the items that can be sent are necessities and other items that promote the organisation’s motto ‘Grow, learn and play’.
I NIPOTI DI BABBO NATALE
The Italian association Un Sorriso In Piú promotes happiness, well-being and peace of mind among people in vulnerable situations so that no one feels alone. Its projects include the creation of the I Nipoti di Babbo Natale initiative. Through this initiative, the buyer can make the Christmas wish of an elderly person living in a nursing home come true. To do so, the sender must choose the present he or she wishes to give, fill in a form to reserve the wish, receive confirmation from the nursing home to discuss the specifications of the present, make the wish and deliver it. Among the wishes that can be made, there are objects in various price ranges and others are moments shared with the elderly, who wish for companionship.
INDIRECT PROFIT
On the other hand, objects with an indirect nature are those that are acquired through an entity that will allocate part of its profits to the cause it defends. In this case, the person who receives the gift does not receive the solidarity action contained in it. For those who are interested in this type of presents, here are a couple of examples to follow:
FOLLOW YOUR LEGEND
This is an international brand whose aim is to donate part of its income to causes and entities that protect the world and its wildlife, through its products. Among the items on sale are: jewellery, clothing and the possibility of symbolically adopting an animal. In the latter case, the recipient is given a box containing a cuddly toy, representing the adopted animal, and with it an information badge about the organisation and the animal that is being helped. In this way, the person receiving the gift is also made aware of the cause.
YO SÍ QUE SÉ
This is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation that promotes the creation and training of employment for people with disabilities, created by the PRODE foundation. The purpose of these presents is to collaborate with an entity that helps the insertion and inclusion of this group within society. Within the website you can find the ‘Shop with Soul’, where you can buy different objects created or decorated by hand by people with intellectual, mental or other disabilities.
FREEDHOME
This is an Italian company selling the products of twenty-two prison economy projects around the country. In other words, these objects are produced with the help of prisoners in order to facilitate their reintegration into society and manage the time they spend during their sentence in a useful way. Among the products on sale are: household items, food, personal hygiene products, drinks and clothes.
Besides the above proposals, there are more options for giving presents. One option is to let the person receiving the gift decide what to give it to, as the foundation Mi grano de arena does with its solidarity boxes. Through these, the buyer makes a monetary donation of their choice and gives this amount to the recipient, who decides to which entity they want to donate the money.
Finally, if you want to make a difference, making a donation or buying objects/merchandising of the organisation you want to collaborate with is also a valid option. Most organisations usually have products for sale to raise money for the projects they run.
Other gift ideas that contribute to the protection of the environment through sustainability are featured in two articles in this magazine entitled: ‘Sustainable gifts’ and ‘Innovative sustainable fashion brands’.
