One truly marvelous thing about the start of a new year is that everyone starts it with a list of goals to strive to reach over the next year – and, often, at least one of them involves giving back.
There are many ways we citizens of the Earth can give back. Some of us crochet head warmers and blankets for babies in the ICU. Some of us ladle stew into a bowl at a local soup kitchen. Still, other people like to give back by doing what is already fun anyway – shopping on the internet. When consumers buy from #ShopToSupport organizations, that donate a portion of their proceeds to non-profits, it is a win-win for everybody.
And so, as the new year commences, we at XOXO Fashion Magazine urge you to consider browsing the following online stores for goods whose profits will help benefit various organizations.
Over the decades, people have become increasingly aware of the fact that the justice system in the US is set up in such a way that it is nearly impossible, once a person has received a felony, to lead a life as successful and bright, once they are released from prison, as it might have been if they did not have a criminal record.
Although the for-profit program Art for Redemption is not a direct response to this, they are, in their words “the premier and largest online marketplace for fine art created by artists incarcerated across the US. For every purchase here, an industry-standard commission or royalty is returned directly to the artists & their families so they can stay in touch without going into debt and accumulate savings to prepare for the formidable obstacles faced when reintegrating into society. To get a fair chance at that second chance…Artists receive 50% of the proceeds from the sales of their original artwork. The other half goes to us to support the business costs. A 10% royalty goes to the artist for each print on demand associated product sale.”
This program not only provides incarcerated individuals a chance to receive income that they can send home to their families, but it also provides exposure and a “resume” for the talent of the individual. Not to mention, it is a well-known fact among people who cherish all forms of art, that those with the most powerful stories to tell are usually the ones who create the most breathtaking art.
The painting we have featured, entitled “All of My Relations”, was created by a man named Jimmy Gutierrez, who is incarcerated in Colorado. His comments on his thought process while making the painting were, “This is a poetic revealing towards connection on Earth. I express my emotions through my brush strokes that have strong and soft edges that relate to my relationship as I live. Finding a commonality among our relatives of creation gives way to humility. It helps us understand even the smallest life form matters to us. The power of natural forces that define our value; is gratitude. Allows us to search for our positions, responsibilities, a path for life to be fruitful and there is beauty in the eye that beholds its love.”
Both original art work from the artists and “print on demand” – in other words reproductions, which include multiple options, such as having it on a shirt or in a frame, can be purchased on the website. One such framed print is this one below, from the painting “Homebound”, created by the incarcerated artist Danny Reyna.
In their words, “Free Wheelchair Mission is a humanitarian, faith-based nonprofit that designs and manufactures cost-efficient, durable wheelchairs for developing countries around the world.” It is estimated that at least 100 million people in the world need wheelchairs but can not afford one.
Free Wheelchair Mission sells beaded jewelry called “Dignity Bracelets”, as well as a book about their program, or you can opt to just donate. The non-profit states, “75.03% of Free Wheelchair Mission’s total operating expenses were used to serve those living with a disability in the developing world.”
3. Handicapped Pets Foundation
Pets, such as dogs, often find themselves in need of wheelchairs too, as they age. The Handicapped Pets Foundation “is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation dedicated to the health and well-being of elderly, disabled, and injured pets. (They) donate new or reconditioned wheelchairs to pets-in-need.”
Their online store includes adorable mugs and sweaters, as well as gift cards that recipients can then spend at the shop for themselves.
4. APOPO
APOPO is an organization that trains rats to sniff out landmines. Over 59 countries are overrun with landmines that are hidden in the ground. When stepped on, they explode, which, if it does not kill the victim who stepped on it, will at the very least cause severe, irrevocable loss of limbs. The mission has been wildly successful, and they are now also training rats to sniff out cases of tuberculosis and to sniff out illegally trafficked wildlife. Happily, when it is time to retire, the rats are adopted out.
APOPO has different stores in North America and Europe, where you can buy everything from stainless steel coffee mugs and water bottles to T-shirts and sweaters, phone cases, and very cute rat plushies/dog toys, that come with the option to buy just the plushie for $42, or a plushie adoption package for kids, for $132.
In a world where the things that society said would predict a dystopia are becoming real, it is both shocking and frightening that Roe vs. Wade could be overturned. It is, therefore, a great relief that, at least for now, the option for women in states banning abortion to get their abortion in states where it is legal, remains. Planned Parenthood continues to provide abortions for women, either charging their insurance, charging them a low cost, or, depending on their situation, doing it for free. The Planned Parenthood online shop has just about every type of apparel and home goods you might want, so going to the website and taking a look, to see if there is anything you could use, is a fantastic idea.
While we are on the topic of abortion, though The Brigid Alliance does not have a shop, it is a very important program to support, if you believe in the right to choose, as it is a program that provides women with the necessary travel funds, including travel fare, places to stay and other expenses on the way, so that they can get to states where abortion is legal. In this article from Business Insider, the true story of a 13-year-old girl who got pregnant after being sexually assaulted is discussed. As is written in the article, “(The mother) was told that the closest abortion provider was a nine-hour drive away in Chicago. But the family couldn’t afford the cost of gas, food, or lodging along with the procedure itself and time off work to complete the journey”, and so the girl, for the mere fact that her family could not afford the travel costs, was forced to give birth, before she was in seventh grade. While it remains very important to support abortion clinics, it is equally as important to support programs that provide people who wish to get an abortion the funds necessary to travel to places where they can. For this reason, we also encourage readers to donate to The Brigid Alliance.
This January, do make a point of ticking off your goals to give back this year. There are many ways to give back, and all of them are important and impactful.
XOXO,
Your Fashion Bestie
