It’s universally known that giving to charity supports causes of great importance while providing a greater sense of wellbeing and personal satisfaction for the benefactor. But did you know it can also be fashionable?
We don’t mean fashionable in the figurative sense of wearing your charitable accomplishments on your sleeve like a badge of honor. We’re talking about your actual sleeve. Charitable giving has evolved over recent years to change with the times and appeal to the broadest ranges of people willing to share part of what they have to help someone else. No longer are donors relegated solely to writing a check or otherwise making a donation to a broad cause without a real sense of what role donations play in the overall picture.
One of the fastest growing charitable vehicles is small-scale, sustainable, or fair trade, manufacturing in which portions of proceeds are returned to the indigenous communities who produce items such as scarfs, textiles or some other product. A growing number of companies and non-profit organizations are offering direct support in this way to economically-distressed people around the world.
A great example of one of these companies is Ethical Ocean. On their site, customers can find all kinds of fashionable clothing items, beauty and health products, items for kids and babies, electronics, food and drink-related fare and even home and garden supplies. But each seller is carefully vetted before being allowed to sell on the site and they must meet certain criteria.
Every item on Ethical Ocean’s website must be: Good for people; Good for animals; or good for the environment. Every item sold has a story so that buyers know key details about the product including where it come from and what the seller is doing to positively impact others. With the holidays just around the corner, it’s a great time for an Ethical Ocean green holiday.
But the Toronto-based Ethical Ocean isn’t the only game in town. Charities large and small are now seeing the value in establishing sustainable relationships not only with those people they serve but with the donors who support their individual causes.
The best part about this new breed of charitable program is it gives the people being helped a sense of purpose and self-determination. Instead of a mere handout to hold them steady until the next handout, these ethically-based manufacturing and business practices instill pride and accomplishment. Not only do participants get the assistance needed, but they also get the added benefit of increased self-worth and the ability to improve their societal position and feel empowered by their accomplishments.
