Ahh 2020. This year has sharpened everyone’s focus on what really matters. Every year our gift guide is centered on shopping small and giving back, but this year it’s more critical than ever to support the local businesses you love.

Looking to gift A4Y? We’re excited to announce you can now easily gift an Athletes for Yoga subscription. Plus November 25 – November 30, you can snag both Hit Reset + Work IN books for just $33 (regularly $22 each). All US orders ship free through November 30th. We’re a small business and appreciate your support so much!

Here’s what we’re gifting this holiday season... Please use the comments to share your favorite local shops AND gifts that give back! Let’s be a resource for each other as we gift for the greater good.

MiiR

100% of proceeds go to Black Girl Ventures this Black Friday (November 27th).

“We make premium stainless steel vessels for coffee, beer, wine and food, all of which rely on three things at their core: water, earth and the relationship people have with both. We sit at the nexus of these three critical elements by setting aside a portion of revenue to fund projects focused on clean water, a healthy environment and strong communities.”

You can always track your impact directly when you buy from MiiR.

THIRD MONDAY IN APRIL RUN CO.

“Third Monday in April is an online running shop created to spread the joy of running and grounded in the belief that running should be a path open to all. All products feature our original designs, are professionally screen-printed in Portland, Oregon and sent your way by a mother/daughter team.”

All proceeds from Til We All Run Free Collection go to the Equal Justice Initiative.

A portion of the proceeds of The Year Women Could Collection go to Girls on the Run – a life-changing program for 8- to 13-year-old girls that promotes girl empowerment by teaching life skills through lessons and running.

EVERY MOTHER COUNTS

Every Mother Counts, founded by Christy Turlington Burns, is on a mission to make childbirth safe for every mother. “We are committed to supporting groups led by women and people from the communities where they work, and that place mothers at the center of their work. By partnering with local organizations that serve historically marginalized communities, we help deliver high-impact, low-cost solutions to improve maternal health outcomes.”

There are so many ways to support EMC through gifting. The collection that supports their initiatives most directly is the EMC Collection, but be sure to shop all their partner collections from Minted to GlassyBaby.

ELIZABETH’S BOOKSHOP & WRITING CENTRE

Rachel Cargle is a woman you should know by now. She is an activist, author and educator in anti-racism and intersectional feminism, the founder of The Loveland Project, and this year she opened her online (and IRL) bookshop and writing center: Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Centre. A great replacement for the big A in the book world.

A percentage of all sales from Elizabeth's goes directly to The Loveland Foundation, Inc. to support their mission of making mental healthcare accessible for Black women and girls. 

SACKCLOTH & ASHES

Ben Dalton was inspired to help the homeless after witnessing his own mother’s experience with homelessness in 2013. When he reached out to shelters to ask what they needed most, the answer was always blankets. In 2018, Sackcloth & Ashes launched Blanket the United States, with the goal of donating one million blankets to homeless shelters by 2024. For every blanket purchased, Sackcloth & Ashes gives a blanket to your local homeless shelter.

Sackcloth & Ashes blankets not only give back, they are super cozy, with beautiful designs, including new kids blankets (for every kids blanket purchased one is given to a child in foster care). Plus, every blanket is ethically made from 100% recycled material in Salem, OR.

OUR PLACE

Our Place creates “new heirlooms from the cultures and places that make up the fabric of the modern multi-ethnic kitchen.” Like any good millennial-targeted brand they source and produce ethically and sustainably and are always looking for ways to give back. For each of their collections, they find partners “who are working to create systems-based change in the communities that we share.” Their most recent partner was Feeding America and they donated over 200,000 meals to help fight hunger during COVID-19.

Now they are partnering with their local Los Angeles Food Policy Council as part of the Healthy Neighborhood Market Program to provide community access to healthy, fresh food in South LA.