Today is Giving Tuesday, a nifty antidote to Black Friday madness and the ensuing season of shopping. This national day of giving offers a much-needed chance to take a step back and reflect on what’s truly important this time of year.
Need a little inspiration to jumpstart your generosity? We asked our teams who work hand in hand with the organizations on the front lines of the important issues of our time who should be on our giving list. Here are their suggestions of organizations big and small, supporting a variety of causes and communities, that they think deserve a little extra recognition and support this year:
Transgender Law Center: TLC strives to ensure that all people can live safely, authentically and free from discrimination – regardless of gender identity or expression. A contribution to TLC’s mission helps the center continue fighting anti-LGBTQ bills and policies, and actively empowering and inspiring the community. (Executive Director Kris Hayashi is one of the Levi Strauss Foundation’s Pioneers 2020, a program that invests in innovative social justice leaders). Learn more, get involved, donate.
Ella Baker Center: The center advocates for shifting resources away from prisons and punishment and toward opportunities that truly make communities safer, stronger and healthier. The group is partnering with other local organizations on a Restore Oakland initiative to build a center that will focus on both community advocacy and hands-on job training and placement services. (Executive Director Zachary Norris is another member of LSF’s Pioneers 2020). Learn more, get involved, and donate.
International Rescue Committee: The holiday season is particularly difficult for those getting used to a new home and way of living. One of the International Rescue Committee’s many missions is to support refugees during the difficult transition into life in a new country – from helping them find and pay for housing to offering job training and mentorship. Your support during this time of year will go a long way to helping with a successful transition. Learn more, get involved and donate.
The National Immigration Law Center: The center defends the rights of low-income immigrants through lawsuits, policy advocacy and helping to re-shape the national conversation around immigrant rights. Learn more and donate.
The National Partnership for Women and Families: This organization pushes for policies that make women and families stronger, from fairness in the workplace to reproductive rights and health. Right now, they are working hard for passage of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act, providing paid time off for new parents and serious health conditions – a bill that Levi Strauss & Co. strongly supports. Learn more, get involved, and donate.
Remake: We’re an apparel company, after all, so we like to share the reminder that even every-day decisions like what to wear can make a big difference. Remake, is dedicated to igniting a conscious consumer movement that rejects “fast fashion” and all of the steep social and environmental costs that accompany it. Something that’s top of mind for us this holiday season. Learn more, and donate.
Southern Poverty Law Center: Nobody shines a light on hate and intolerance like the Southern Poverty Law Center, a well-known name in the civil rights movement, dedicated to fighting extremism and bigotry through landmark legal cases, education and advocacy. It is also the premier U.S. group monitoring the activities of domestic hate groups. Learn more and donate.
Stonewall Community Foundation: The Stonewall Community Foundation does on a large scale what we all want to do in our daily lives: inspire and empower others to act. The foundation invests in grassroots groups in the LGBTQ movement, and offers scholarships to the community – including the largest in the country that supports LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers. Learn more, and donate.
Callisto: This online tool enables survivors of sexual violence to document their assault and choose whether to file a report, with an innovative “matching” feature that targets repeat offenders. Propelled by the recent spotlight on sexual assault and harassment, the group hopes to expand beyond college campuses. Learn more, get involved, donate.
At this time of year, we like to reflect on our long history of standing up for equality, civil rights and social justice in the communities where we live and work. We encourage you to join us in supporting those same causes today and throughout the year. Tis’ the season, after all.
