Philanthropy - Inspired Adventures

Life can get busy. It’s a constant balance of career and family life, trying to fit in exercise and relaxation time, to getting out and being social. For many, there are even more things we want to fit in, like giving back and helping those who need it. We often think giving is too hard and too time-consuming. But in reality, it’s not hard as we think, and we can all give a little more doing just a few simple things. To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of ‘other ways to give’ – from apps to donating blood, to taking action online. Give your hands, your time and your heart. So why not take a little leap and try out these other ways to give and help make the world a better place.

Apps

There are a bunch of amazing apps out there that make giving easy. One of our favourites at Inspired HQ is Shout4good.

Shout For Good is an app that allows you to donate to your favourite non-profit organisations. You can choose to donate a certain amount, or you can choose to “shout” something else. For example, you want to donate to World Vision Australia. You can shout fast growing seeds for $10, or childhood immunisation for $25. It’s all about showing people the impact they’re making, what their dollar is worth and how a little goes a long way.

Credit: Stand4

Donate blood

Donating blood is something most of us can do (minus the squeamish amongst us) and is relatively easy. You choose your time and place to donate via the donateblood.com.au website, have a quick interview on the day to make sure you’re a suitable candidate, and then you give blood! It takes about 5-10 minutes and you’re done! Currently only 1 in 30 people in Australia give blood, but 1 in 3 people will need blood in their lifetime.

Donate goods

Perhaps one of the simplest ways to give is donating old or unworn clothes and items to charity. Do a little spring clean (since it is the start of spring!) and grab a bag and fill it with clothes and other items you don’t need anymore. You can drop your bags of clothes in charity bins, or if you have other items like old furniture you can go straight to the Salvation Army or a Vinnies store. For more information about how to donate unused goods read this awesome article by 1 Million Women.

Dine out

You must think we’re crazy – how does dining out help anyone but your own stomach? Well, here are two restaurants that help:

Feast of Merit is a social enterprise restaurant where 100% of their profits go to YGAP (a movement of entrepreneurs who change the lives of people living in poverty). We think that’s pretty cool.

Then there is Lentil as Anything where you pay what you feel is fair for the food you’ve received. The theory behind this restaurant is that everyone should be have the opportunity to dine out and be social regardless of their financial situation. It’s a financial model based on values of trust, generosity and respect. We love this!

Be conscious

Want to give to the environment? Why not take the 1 million women carbon challenge and reduce your CO2 pollution by 1 tonne. Yes, 1 whole tonne in just one year! You can choose different activities that work for you whilst making a huge impact on our Earth.

You can also take it upon yourself to be more informed about our environment and the impact humans are having on its balance. Charts and info graphics are readily available, you just have to be proactive and look! Check out this info graphic from the Climate Council.

Take action online

Want to take action on an issue close to your heart but don’t know where to begin? Start your own petition at change.org! Check out their website and get people backing a cause you’re passionate about.

You can also join a movement and put your name and voice behind a campaign you believe in. 350.org are currently campaigning hard to fight climate change and to keep fossil fuels in the ground.

And now we’d love to hear from you! What do you do in your daily life for good?

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Social enterprise, business for good, conscious capitalism; it has many names but one purpose: to make a difference while making a profit.

The industry is booming with start-ups and old standbys gaining more and more market share as people look for new ways to make a positive impact on their world. Here’s a roundup of Inspired’s favourite, tried and true, businesses for good.

1. Who Gives A Crap
We do! And so do the thousands of people who order this toilet paper made from recycled paper. Who Gives a Crap also donates 50 percent of their profits to WaterAid to build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world. So far they have provided over 46,000 people with a year’s access to a toilet and saved 4,604 trees by using recycled paper. How good is that?

2. Omology

One of our very own, Kimberly Kay, founded Omology in 2014 and has been sharing the bliss ever since. Her startup yoga company hosts community yoga classes, usually held outdoors with grass underfoot and sun overhead to fund great causes locally and globally. Omology’s mission is to fund projects that empower women and girls and provide access to education. There’s nothing better than hitting the mat as a midday desk break, or an after work wind down knowing that your practice is serving others. (Omology is on hiatus while Kimberly works in human rights in London, stay tuned!)

3. Toms

We couldn’t compile a list of our favourite businesses for good without including one of the originals, TOMS. Since 2006, this shoe company has been selling their iconic slip-ons with the promise that for every shoe sold, a new pair of shoes will be given to a child in need. Nine years later, 45 million pairs of shoes have been donated. TOMS also has expanded into handbags, eyeglasses, and accessories, but our favourite remains the classic slip-on shoe.

4. One Night Stand

If you’re after some simple, trendy sleepwear and want to support young people sleeping rough or at risk of homelessness, One Night Stand is your brand. They’ve partnered with OzHarvest to delivery one meal for a young person sleeping rough for every purchase made. They’ve also pledged 50 percent of their profits to projects that support young people with employment opportunities and shelter. Their ethos is simple, “We believe that the world is waking up to business playing its part. If all for-profit companies give something every time they sell something, we will all be a part of positive social and environmental impact.” We agree!

5. Thankyou.

We’re pretty excited for our supply of thankyou. hand wash products to arrive at IA headquarters. We made the switch for our office because thankyou. products are eco-friendly, not tested on animals and all about giving back. After expenses, 100 percent of their profits fund life-changing water, food or health and hygiene projects. Thankyou. Group, originally thankyou. water, has expanded into food and body care products and is one of the fastest growing social enterprises in Australia. We can’t wait to see what products they come out with next.

6. Words with Heart

Prepare for beautiful stationery overload if you hop on to Words with Heart’s website orInstagram. Their beautiful designs carry empowering messages like, “Dream big, work hard, have courage” and “Girls just wanna have fun…damental human rights”. They earn their spot on our list for their commitment to producing eco-friendly products with 100 percent recycled paper, vegetable based inks, solar power, and no harsh printing chemicals, not to mention their awesome mission of funding education for underserved women and girls! Writing to-do lists is so much better when it’s not a notepad that changes the world.

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