It is always a good idea for local and nationwide companies to contribute to their local communities. By donating time, goods, and money directly to the nonprofits and causes that support their towns, businesses maintain the personal connections they need to survive, and the human connections they need to exist.
As an active participant in Toys for Tots, Aventure is proud to serve as a drop off location for new toys. Originally created by the Marine Corps, Toys for Tots was created to provide disadvantaged children with a toy over the holidays. In the course of its lifespan, the Toys for Tots program has distributed 469 million toys to over 216 million children, ranking right up there with Santa Claus.
Some of Aventure’s offices have stretched their arms a little wider this holiday to forgo the traditional office gifts and parties and put all of their efforts into an Angel Tree, a service backed by the Salvation Army that lets residents give much needed items to those less fortunate in their community. Here is a list of ways you can join in on the reason for the season!
Kiva – $25
The gift: Help for an entrepreneur of your choice—from a fisherwoman in Samoa to a grocer in Haiti. It’s a microfinanceloan, so once the borrower repays you (usually within a year), you can either withdraw your money or reinvest in another venture.
First Book – $25
The gift: Ten books to help a young reader from a low-income family learn her ABCs and 123s. More than 80 percent of preschool and after-school programs for children from low-income families have no age-appropriate books for the kids they serve. Recipients of First Book books participate in community-based mentoring, tutoring, and family literacy programs.
Changing the Present – $50
The gift: Training for two midwives in parts of the world where medical care is scarce, a month’s worth of sanitary napkins for 10 Afghan girls ($35), interview-worthy suits for five job applicants—or any of a number of other ways to help women. Changing the Present is a clearinghouse for specific charitable requests, grouped by cause; if you’d rather clear land mines or feed the hungry, there’s something here for you too.
Nothing but Nets – $50
The gift: Malaria prevention—in the form of insecticide-treated bed nets—for five families in Africa, where the disease still kills nearly a million children each year. The nets, which are big enough to protect a family of four, remain effective for up to four years.
Modest Needs – $100
The gift: Payment of emergency expenses (such as the $92.70 that wasn’t covered by insurance for a doctor visit) for a family without a financial cushion. The idea is to prevent a downward spiral into poverty that can result from a single unaffordable expense. Recipients are otherwise financially self-sufficient; requests for assistance are vetted.
Arbor Day Foundation – $100
The gift: Twenty-five thousand square feet of rainforest saved in Central America. Or 100 trees planted on the post-Katrina Gulf Coast or in national forests ravaged by wildfires. Reforestation doesn’t just preserve ecosystems and restore wildlife habitats; a mature tree can store about one metric ton of CO2 emissions.
Doctors Without Borders – $500
The gift: A medical kit containing basic drugs, supplies, equipment, and dressings to treat 1,500 patients for three months wherever people are coping with disaster and conflict—from Sri Lanka to Sudan.
The Hunger Project– $500
The gift: Help for a community in Africa, Asia, or Latin America. Your donation could pay for an electric generator to be used by a cluster of African villages; generators provide electricity for health centers and light classrooms used for evening literacy programs.
Is your company reaching out to others this holiday season? How are you making a difference this year?