Since today is “giving Tuesday” I wanted to share some organizations that are near and dear to our hearts. The holidays are such a magical time of year with the lights and the Christmas shopping and the presents but there are so many people in need that we can really have a huge impact on this holiday season as well!
This past weekend was also ‘small business Saturday’ so I wanted to highlight a few small businesses I love, that you can support right now as well!
charities to get involved with
These are all organizations that are really close to my heart, as well as my two LKS team members as well! The 3 of us compiled this list together! Sometimes I think the hardest part about giving back is not knowing where to start so I hope this list makes it just a little bit easier for you!
Genesis Shelter – Genesis Women’s Shelter is located in Dallas, and it was created to give women in abusive situations a way out. Their mission is to provide safety, shelter and support for women who have experienced domestic violence, and to raise awareness regarding its cause, prevalence and impact. This year because of the pandemic Genesis is accepting gift cards to help support their moms + kiddos in the shelter. When you give a gift card, you provide a woman in need with the power to choose—a luxury that has repeatedly been stripped away from her by her abusive partner. This year, your gift will enable our clients to get whatever it is that they want and need most right now. Click here to learn more about how you can help a family in need!
K9s for Warriors – Determined to end veteran suicide, K9s For Warriors provides highly-trained Service Dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and more. With the majority of dogs coming from high-kill rescue shelters, this program not only helps veterans heal but also rescues many dogs in the process. The K9 Warrior team helps to build an unwavering bond between warriors and rescue dogs that facilitates their collective healing and recovery! When you donate to K9s for Warriors you’re helping a rescue dog get paired with a veteran in need!
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, genetic disorder that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs that impacts roughly 30,000 children, adults, and families in the US. The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) is to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people with CF the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives. CFF leads the path in the search for a cure for CF, investing in research and drug development, advancing high-quality specialized care, and contributing major strides made in caring for people with CF both medically and psychosocially. Click to donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or get involved with your local chapter.
Children’s Cancer Fund – Children’s Cancer Fund (CCF) champions kids in their fight against cancer through strategic investments in research and care in North Texas. As a nonprofit based in Dallas, CCF is closely affiliated with Children’s Health and UT Southwestern Medical Center, both of whom are national leaders in the research and treatment of pediatric cancer. Donations help to bring families who are going through treatments together, and provide Child Life services during treatment. Click to donate, or get involved with Children’s Cancer Fund.
Standing Up to POTS – This charity is especially important to me because a close family member of mine suffers from POTS. Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system that affects heart rate, blood vessel dilation, blood pooling, movement of food through the digestive system, and body temperature. Standing Up to POTS was created to generate funds for medical research among leading physicians and researchers across the globe, advocate for POTS patients, and provide family and patient support through the various challenges of facing POTS. Click to donate, or get involved with Standing Up to POTS.
small businesses you can support this christmas
- Catbird – stunning, hand-crafted jewelry made in Brooklyn NY! Their pieces are so dainty, feminine and unique! Would make great gift idea.
- Cancelled Plans Candles – handmade, small-batch candles that smell amazing! love the witty sayings on each one, and they’re made with clean burning wax!
- Madeline Moves – a long time favorite workout app of mine! Short + effective workouts that you can do at home, from your phone!
- Cloister Honey – Incredible honey made on a local farm in NC that comes in the most delicious flavors like cocoa, matcha and lemon ginger! A great gift idea for anyone in the family.
- Healthy eat on the go bars – my all time favorite bars because the ingredients are clean and they taste delicious! Y’all can use code LKS to get a discount!
- Lillie eats & tells – Probably 90% of the recipes I make for dinner come from Lillie’s ONE cookbook! They are simple and healthy and SO yummy. Our whole family loves these dinners!
- Miracle milkookies – I ate one of these lactation cookies EVERY single day while I was nursing Shiloh (and maybe some after too haha). The company was started by a mama here in Dallas and the cookies taste SO good. (Michael may or may not have stolen a few from me). I just sent some to my sister since she just had a baby!
- Strand up – they make the cutest custom sunglasses and beanies for kids! Shiloh has some of their sunglasses and LOVES them! A portion of all of their sales also go to charity which I thought was cool. This brand would be a great gift option for any toddler / kid on your list!
- Emily can letter: Emily is actually my cousin’s wife and one of the most kind + humble humans and INSANELY talented. She made a sign for Shiloh’s room when she was a baby that we love and cherish so much. She makes custom signs for nurseries, ornaments, embroidered hats…you name it. Her style is so cute and these personalized gifts are perfect for the holiday!
Thanks for reading! Hope you guys all had a great Cyber weekend and are feeling excited to head into Christmas!
follow along @laurenkaysims
xo Lauren
