The spirit of the holiday season reminds us to be thankful for all that we have and inspires us to give back to those less fortunate. In lieu of gifts this year, we will be donating to the following charities in our customers’ names. Each of these charities represent something near and dear to our hearts. In this post, we will provide some more information on each charity so our customers can make informed decisions as to which cause is right for them.
Make-A-Wish Foundation New Jersey
Make-A-Wish Foundation is a nationwide charity created in 1980 that grants life-changing wishes for children battling critical illnesses. The New Jersey local chapter was founded in 1983 and serves children specifically in the Garden State. The way the charity works is quite remarkable. After qualifying to become a part of the program through medical eligibility, a team is sent to help awaken the child’s imagination and find out their one true wish. The team then creates an extraordinary, personalized day to help make the child’s wish come true.
When you make a wish come true for a child, you help them regain a part of who they are. You give them the happiness and energy needed to keep fighting, while also giving the family a sense of normalcy and hope. Charity Navigator gives the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey four out of four stars and an overall score of 91.6. This rating is exceptional, meaning “exceeds industry standards and performs as well as or better than most charities in its Cause.”
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP)
Who is a Warrior? Warriors are, “veterans and service members who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness or wound while serving in the military on or after September 11, 2001.” The mission of WWP is to honor and empower warriors and the family members or caregivers of Wounded Warriors. This is done through a large number of programs to help each person’s unique circumstance.
A few examples of programs are as follows:
- Explaining benefits and helping through every step of the claims process
- Combat stress recovery programs
- Family support and peer support groups
- Policy & government affairs team advocating for policies and initiatives supporting veterans
- Partnerships with leading medical centers
- Help with job search (everything from preparing a resume, interview prep and connections across industries.
Our veterans and service members sacrifice so much to keep us safe and fight for our freedom. Now it’s our turn to fight for them. Charity Navigator gives the Wounded Warrior Project a three out of four star rating with an overall score of 86.02 and a 97.00 in accountability and transparency. This rating is good, meaning “exceeds or meets industry standards and performs as well or better than most charities in its Cause.”
Doctors Without Borders
Doctors Without Borders is an independent, global movement providing medical aid where it’s needed most. The charity has medical projects in over 70 countries around the world. This includes conflict zones, after natural disasters, long-term care settings, and during epidemics. Doctors Without Borders see millions of patients around the world every year.
A few examples of the way Doctors Without Borders gives aid to those in need are through the following:
- Pre-packaged disaster kits
- Inflatable hospital for emergency response
- Access to healthcare for long-term treatments for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, etc.
- Build/Renovate clinics
- Advocate for fair access to medication
- Conduct research to improve quality of medical programs
With projects in over 70 countries, Doctors Without Borders provides a lot of support for coffee-growing regions. These include countries such as Columbia, Ethiopia, Honduras, India, Uganda, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, El Salvador, Mexico and more. The coffee bean industry is one of the largest in forced labor and child slavery around the world. Whenever possible we like to partner with Fair Trade coffee brands to help ensure the ethical treatment of laborers around the world. Such brands include Wandering Bear, Stumptown, Irving Farm and more.
Fair Trade certification in the coffee industry is not the standard yet, which is why we love charities like Doctors Without Borders to give aid to people in these regions. Charity Navigator gives Doctors Without Borders four out of four stars, with an outstanding overall score of 97.23. This rating is exceptional, meaning “exceeds industry standards and performs as well as or better than most charities in its Cause.”
