Today is Giving Tuesday, which after a weekend of being bombarded with emails and commercials about sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is incredibly refreshing! Giving back to those in need is a huge priority for my business and my family. If you are interested in taking part of Giving Tuesday today but aren’t sure what organization to give to, here are a few of my favorites!

Charity: Water

Nearly 1 in 10 people in the world do not have access to clean water. The majority live in isolated rural areas and spend hours every day walking to collect water for their family. Not only does walking for water keep kids out of school or take up time that parents could be using to earn money, but the water often carries diseases that can make everyone sick. But when a community gets access to clean water, it can change just about everything. It can improve health, increase access to food, grow local economies, and help kids spend more time in school. One of the things I love most about Charity: Water is that they have private donors that cover their operating costs so 100% of your money goes to funding water projects. Visit their website for more information and to donate www.charitywater.org

AdoptTogether

Adoption is obviously something that is near and dear to my heart. One of the biggest hindrances for families to adopt is finances. AdoptTogether is a non-profit, crowdfunding platform that bridges the gap between families who want to adopt and the children who need loving homes. They turn crowds into communities to help bring children home to their families. You can donate to AdoptTogether’s general fund or you can search through the families and choose one to give to. To donate or learn more about them visit adopttogether.org

Mercy Ships

Nearly 50% of people in Africa have no access to a hospital or doctor. Children, teens and adults suffer and die every day from curable or treatable causes. And one child in eight will die before age 5. Mercy Ships are floating hospitals that are state-of-the-art facilities that offer clean water, reliable electricity and care centers. They are able to sail a modern hospital ship with a crew of 400 volunteers directly to people who lack access to first-rate medical care. And thanks to generous donors, they will match all donations up to $15,000 that are made by midnight tonight! To give to Mercy ships visit www.mercyships.org  or if you’d like to give directly to our friends who work on Mercy Ships you can do so here.