Room to Read

Room to Read is an amazing organization that promotes literacy all across the globe. They have benefited 4.1 million children world-wide since they began their mission to provide all children, but especially girls, with an opportunity to read books in their native language. They build schools where there aren’t any, and promote literacy to the extent that when there are no books for children in the target language–they write and publish them. They’ve been hard at work for the last ten years, and are looking forward to continuing their work and covering more of the globe in the future.

Love146

Love146 is an organization that tackles the very real, often ignored, problem of human trafficking, focusing on the sexual abuses of young girls, but never ignoring the greater problem. This is an issue that needs as much support as we can muster, because trafficking is modern-day slavery. The statistics are astounding, and once you really understand what’s going on with this issue, you will never forget it. Love146 operates an aftercare facility in the Philippines, and active raises awareness here in the United States.

TOMS

TOMS is one of the hottest brands in shoes right now, and for good reason. Whenever you buy a a pair of these stylish shoes, a pair is given to a child in need. The children who benefit from the TOMS shoe drops live in places where they don’t have access to new shoes, and where many foot-borne illnesses are common. TOMS seeks to promote awareness through both their shoes and their “One Day Without Shoes” campaign, where supporters go shoeless to make a statement.

Sari Bari

Sari Bari is an organization that is dedicated to fighting the exploitation of women in India. Sari Bari recruits women out of the sex trade and teaches them the skills to make blankets and purses out of recycled saris–the traditional clothing that Indian women wear. The women are able to make good money by selling the items they make, allowing them to break free from the sex trade and help support their families. Whenever you buy something from Sari Bari, the name of the woman who made it is sewn inside–a great reminder of the freedom she has won, and that you are supporting.