In a season marked by giving, we love the idea of giving back to our community and our planet. This year, my family decided to forego gifts for the adults, and give donations in each person's name instead. It's been so fun thinking of each family member and finding ways to honor each of them with a unique donation.  At Mama Manifesto, we wanted to provide our readers with a list of ways you can do your Christmas shopping and give back at the same time. Here are a few ideas:

The bags and purses from Haitian Creations are handmade by women in Haiti, who are a part of a sewing program that is giving these impoverished women lifelong skills. The ability to earn money gives these women the ability to be self-sufficient, to support their families, and to have the independence they need in a society where this is often difficult.

 The Body Shop's hand cream has a fresh, citrusy scent and will leave your hands feeling soft and smooth. The added bonus is that $6 from each purchase of Soft Hands Kind Heart hand cream goes towards fighting against human trafficking. We heart the body shop in a big way for how they put their money where their mouth is.

Kauzbots is a line of 10 plush toy robots – each one with its own “kauze.” 10% of the retail price from each adorable bot is donated directly to the non-profit that is noted on the hang tag. With a wide variety of charities to choose from (including AIDS Walk, Arbor Day Foundation, Lifewater International, and 7 others), you’re sure to find one that touches your heart. Kauzbots are designed to inspire kids to change the world!

Punjammies are adorable sari-inspired pajamas. Each Punjammies are created in an after-care facility for women who have been rescued, released or escaped from a life of forced prostitution. Holistic aftercare involves quality medical care, emotional safety, education and the tools to create a new way of life for herself.

The Hunger Site - If you go under Gifts that Give More on the sidebar, there are a lot of interesting things you can purchase in someone else’s name - things as different as a child’s education for a year or a microloan for a pig or goat.



Charity : water - 1 in 8 people on the planet do not have access to clean drinking water. Be a part of the movement to bring clean and safe drinking water to developing nations. Heather Mattos & Julie Carson, two of our mama writers, have linked up with some other incredible mamas to launch Project 320 - an online raffle that is going to fund a new well in a village that is currently without clean drinking water. We love this project and hope you will support it!


Rising Tide Fair Trade sells beautiful bohemian style bags of various sizes (weekender bags to hand bags) that are hand made in a woman's fair trade labor coop in West Bengal, India from re-purposed vintage kantha saris and cruelty-free black or brown suede. The female artisans earn a fair wage that allows them to provide for their families.

Rocks in the Sun is a gorgeous photography book filled with Haitian proverbs and photos of this beautiful but impoverished country. It's compiled by Troy Livesay, who lives in Haiti and does great mission work there (and just happens to be a stellar photog). This would make a great coffee table book, and the proceeds go towards their missions work with Heartline Haiti and Worldwide Village.


World Vision has an amazing gift catalog where you can buy a number of innovative and sustaining gifts for people living in poverty. Their website even allows you to purchase and print a card letting a loved one know you have donated in their name. You can purchase medical attention for a pregnant woman, a goat that can provide milk to a child - even a grove of fruit trees!

31 Bits Jewelry is made out of 100% recycled paper, posters, and magazines by internally displaced women in Northern Uganda. Each piece of jewelry is unique and hand-crafted by a woman in the community of Gulu, Uganda.

Krochet Kids international works in developing nations to empower impoverished communities to rise above poverty. Each day, a group of women in Northern Uganda gather in a simple brick hut. The crocheted products these women are making provide immediate stability for their families, share about the realities of poverty, and their sale promotes the development of their community.

Have any other resources for gifts that give back?  Leave a comment and tell us about it!