The trend in our generation seems to be giving back to your community and the world around you – as seen through celebrities, where we spend our money, the clothes we wear and the way we spend our time. But hey, it’s even better if it’s in a trendy way right? Whether buying, donating or serving others, there are definitely fashionable options.
TOMS is a company that donates one pair of shoes to a child in need each time you purchase a pair for yourself. This “One for One” movement is geared to men, women and children of all ages having a great variety of shoe styles.
The Keep a Breast Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on raising money to allow others to become aware of breast cancer. This foundation sells silicone rubber bracelets for $4 with the slogan, “I love Boobies! (Keep A Breast)”. The goal is to not only raise money for the Keep a Breast Foundation, but also to function as a tool that encourages young people to feel comfortable talking about the often unspoken topic of breast cancer.
Donating to the greater good is a rising trend in our generation. To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit organization whose main goal is raising hope among people struggling with depression, thoughts of suicide and addiction. When donating to TWLOHA, you help reach out to people dealing with such issues by connecting them to treatment centers, websites, books, support groups and other resources. To Write Love on Her Arms also donates to other organizations such as National Hopeline Network, Invisible Children, Teen Challenge and Kids Help Line.
The non-profit organization Save the Earth focuses on raising environmental consciousness and funding environmental research at colleges and universities. By donating, you help supply research grants that will help slowly and ultimately reverse the deterioration of our earth.
Making a difference by donating your own time and labor makes a huge difference. Serving those at a local homeless shelter is one way to give back. Here in downtown Austin there are many opportunities to serve the homeless like at Front Steps. Front Steps welcomes those who are looking into being short-time or even long-time volunteers while working with your talents and abilities.
Serving on mission trips to broken and poverty-filled countries is a hands on way to give back and make a major impact. Local churches in Austin offer many mission opportunities. For example, Austin Christian Fellowship has served on missions to Nicaragua, Uganda, Africa, Moscow, Russia, and Guatemala. All ages are able to participate in these missions around the year offering student missions, family missions, and adult missions. Mission Discovery is an international ministry that offers many trips for churches, individuals or groups to serve as they desire.
When we buy, donate or serve for a cause we are making a difference. As it becomes a trend to give back to the community, it becomes the trend to make a difference in this world.
