Holiday shopping can feel consumptive and neverending. But Giving Tuesday offers up the chance to do some good and put your money where your heart is.
If there’s a light at the end of the tunnel to the post-Thanksgiving shopping madness, it’s the relatively new concept of Giving Tuesday.
Since its inception in 2012, Giving Tuesday has filled the slot of the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It offers a bit of feel-good indulgence after the black hole of the retail rampage.
Here are our picks for outdoorsy organizations deserving of your Giving Tuesday generosity this year.
5 Outdoors-Focused Charities
Get Local & Double Your Impact With Patagonia Action Works
I love Patagonia Action Works. The website acts as a conduit between you and local nonprofits doing grassroots work near your hometown. And the folks at Patagonia are doubling down way past a 24-hour period.
From November 29 to December 31, Patagonia is matching up to $10,000 per donation until it has reached a maximum match of $10,000,000. Yeah. I know.
You can choose to donate to specific organizations through its platform, and each of these organizations is a designated grantee vetted and supported by the brand. And with the extended giving period, if you miss Giving Tuesday, all is not lost.
Protect Our Winters With the POW ‘Give a Buck’ Campaign
Protect Our Winters’ simple ask of donating $1 to combat climate change is such a low-key amazing move. Its standing site is a no-frills take on raising money.
And Arc’teryx has pledged to match all Giving Tuesday donations to POW Canada, all the way up to CAD $60,000. So take your buck, make it two, and feel good about putting some cool vibes toward our warming planet.
Donate Your Gently Used Gear: The REI Give Back Box Program
In 2016, REI partnered with Goodwill to create a program in which you can print a free shipping label and send your gently used gear to Goodwill right from home.
Goodwill is a stalwart of the American community, and the work it does to provide job-training services, employment, and career advancement for people in need is beyond necessary. And if you don’t want to ship out the box, you can always donate to your own nearest Goodwill.
Offset Your Carbon Footprint: The ‘Climate Neutral Certified’ Campaign
The Climate Neutral Certified campaign is currently fundraising to grow its platform, which educates consumers and businesses about how to offset their carbon footprint through a label and certification program. This 501(c)3 seeks to create change through commitment, and its structure looks pretty darn good.
For $100, it’ll offset a year of your personal carbon footprint through giving to organizations and individuals that create clean energy, sequester carbon through agricultural practices, and more. The Kickstarter is fully funded, so you can expect a full breakdown of how your carbon will be offset shortly after the campaign ends on December 12.
Double Down for Public Lands With Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
This group made up of conservation-focused sportsmen and sportswomen doesn’t just work on behalf of hunters and anglers; it works on behalf of all of us. For anyone who accesses public land and water, loves wildlife, or wants to see public lands stay in public hands, BHA is one to know about.
This Giving Tuesday, a private donor has offered to match BHA donations up to $20,000. If you hunt, fish, or love wild places, this is certainly a nonprofit to consider in your Giving Tuesday efforts.
