Go Shopping!

Quite some time ago, I was “approached” – via email – and asked to write a posting on a company that I’d never heard of. Apparently, they got my name and contact information from a post I had written about Women for Women International – a company I not only have heard about but stand behind 100%. It is also a company THEY stand behind 100% - hence their contact with me.

Anyway, the company in question is called Uncommon Goods (www.uncommongoods.com). After doing a bit of research on them, I find them to be a very interesting company. They sell “handcrafted gifts created in harmony with the environment and without harm to animals or people.”  

We can certainly use more of that objective in the world!

Here is a quote taken from the PR material they sent me:

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, UncommonGoods is a privately-owned retailer that endeavors to feature unique designs and handcrafted gifts created in harmony with the environment and without harm to animals or people. We run all our operations out of the historic Brooklyn Army Terminal, including our warehouse where the lowest-paid seasonal worker starts at 50% above the minimum wage. We make it our mission to support and provide a platform for artists and designers; in fact, half of what we sell is made by hand. Most of the products we carry are created right here in the USA, and about one-third of our entire collection incorporates recycled and/or upcycled materials. At the core of our company is a great respect for the integrity of the creative individual and the belief that it is our responsibility to use our business to impact the world in a positive way.

Getting back to the connection with Women for Women International and the whole reason I was contacted: Uncommon Goods has a program they call Better to Give. Just go to their website and do your shopping as usual. In the check-out stage, you will be given an opportunity to request that a donation be made in your name to charity.

Again, here’s a quote I’m taking directly from their PR material:

Better to Give: As an independently-owned business, we have the freedom to support causes we believe in and to impact the world in a positive way. With every purchase you make, we’re proud to donate $1 to the non-profit of your choice. Since we started the Better to Give program 12 years ago, we’ve donated over $300,000 to charities around the world!

Currently, they have four charities to choose from:

• RAINN is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that rapists are brought to justice.

• American Forests protects and restores forests worldwide, helping to preserve the health of our planet for the benefit of its inhabitants.

• Women for Women International provides women survivors of war with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency.

• City Harvest strives to end hunger in communities throughout New York City through food rescue, distribution, and education.

With Christmas just around the corner – perhaps now is a good time to check this out.

Go Shopping!