For the duration of Holiday Season, there is a benevolent way of spending money to buy gifts for your loved ones. Purchase from stores that give back what you spend to communities in need. Here are some companies that operate that way.
Entrepreneur reports that there is a store in Los Angeles that sells nice home décor at reasonable prices. Its aim is to help create job opportunities in third world countries like Cambodia and Mexico. The store Local & Lejos is owned by Aheeva Sairafi. For every tray sold is a corresponding chicken or rabbit donated from her farm.
You can also patronize Runjanji, a store opened by partners Mike Burnstein and Dave Spandorder in 2012. It sells running apparel and finances clean water programs in many parts of the world. Kenya was the latest recipient of their program.
If you are near Austin, check out the Ubuntu Made brand of Love Bracelets hand crafted by the Maasi tribe of Kenya. Zane Wilemon started the business selling these products to help children with special needs and to provide jobs in the communities of Kenya.
Brittany Bently advertises her company Parker Clay by saying, "We are transforming communities through trade to create social and economic empowerment. We handcraft all of our goods in Ethiopia using world-class leather, designed with luxury standards, and built to empower the producer as much as the consumer." She said that they are helping women trapped in human trafficking and providing them with opportunities through self-help sustainable projects.
House of Darlings in Nashville sells the well known Magnolia Collection fashion wear and supports foster care kids with its proceeds. Another company worth mentioning is The Created Co., a California-based firm engaged in drink wear. It allocates 10 percent of its earnings to support clean water projects.
Finally, an outfit in Atlanta established by Sarah Buchanan sells bracelets with the aim of providing one coffee tree to women farmers in Brazil for every bracelet sold. This is one of the companies that you should buy from when you buy gifts for your friends and loved ones.
