Make mom’s day by donating to a worthy cause, such as Best Friends Animal Society, on her behalf. (©Best Friends Animal Society)
By Jennifer McKee
According to the National Retail Federation, Mother’s Day spending will reach $28.1 billion in 2021. The NRF has been collecting Mother’s Day spending data since 2003.
Why not ditch the flowers and jewelry and give mom something that’ll make you both feel good year-round? There are many deserving charitable causes that need your donation more than ever before. Here are a few that caught our attention.
Give hope and happiness to a homeless pet through Best Friends Animal Society. There are so many ways to help the animals, through sponsorship, giving a dog or cat a new bed or carrier, donating to their medical care and much more. You can even customize your donation by animal type. Find more information here.
If mom is passionate about cats no matter what the size, Panthera is the only nonprofit on the globe exclusively devoted to the conservation of the world’s 40 wild cat species and their ecosystems. Its team is on the front lines in saving these beautiful creatures from poaching, conflicts with people and preserving their habitats.
Additional great wildlife charities include Global Wildlife Conservation and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Want to address women’s rights with your donation? The Women’s Learning Partnership is an international nonprofit that promotes women’s leadership, civic engagement and human rights. It takes a grassroots approach to creating laws and policies that are responsive to the needs of all people, irrespective of gender or other distinctions.
Are humanitarian concerns near and dear to your mom’s heart? Then consider the International Rescue Committee, which helps to support refugees and communities where people’s lives have been shattered by disaster and conflict. Among the gifts of support are baby and emergency hygiene gifts, schooling for children and mobile medical clinics.
Want to give direct support to the COVID-19 crisis in India? You can do so through the Desai Foundation. Donations go directly to 1,000 rural communities gravely in need of supplies, rapid COVID-19 tests and isolation and relief centers. Women’s empowerment is also a major concern.
Help women across the world become business owners and learn to farm to support their families through Heifer International, aimed at ending world hunger and poverty. Donations include the gift of animals such as goats, sheep, alpacas and yes, heifers, from which women and their families can sell wool or other products, or gain sustenance from their milk.
Want to investigate additional charities to suit mom’s interests? Try Charity Navigator, which lets you browse by type of charity and its rating. You can also delve into Top 10 lists and glean tips for charitable giving.
