Sharon Koehler

Stone Industry Consultant

Forgive me for pointing out the obvious but… the holidays are here. Ready or not, here they are. Halloween has come and gone, and we are staring into the face of the Thanksgiving/Hanukkah/ Christmas/Kwanza season. Throw in a couple of birthdays, maybe a bowl game or two plus maybe a New Year’s party and before you know it, you have spent a lot of bucks during the holiday season, at a lot of different places. But with a little foresight and planning, your holiday spending can do some good, where it’s needed the most.

Usually, at this time of the year I ask you to think about contributing to some of the different charities that need your help during the holiday season. Organizations like the Salvation Army Angel Tree or The Toys for Tots campaigns. But we all know that this is a different year than in the past. The economy is not great, and inflation is out of control. You may not have any extra to steer their way. It’s understandable.

However, there is still something that you can do to help out. You can help to support companies that contribute to charities. Plenty of companies and businesses support local and national charities through their sales. The list of these companies is long, and the list below is not all inclusive, but you will see what I mean. (Keep in mind that neither I nor the SRG endorses these companies, except for BB Industries of course. It’s just an informational list.)

Wildfang – They donate a percentage of profits from full-price goods to a rotating monthly charity. Charities have included Planned Parenthood, Black Girls Code, and Girls Inc.

Love with Food by SnackNation – For every snack box purchased, they donate one meal to a needy family through Feeding America.

Natori – When you purchase lounge wear, you can designate a charity to receive 1% of the purchase price. 

Toms – This shoe company donates 33% of its profits to organizations that help with mental health and ending gun violence.

Sackcloth & Ashes - For every blanket sold, the company donates a blanket to a homeless shelter in the buyer’s zip code, helping customers make a direct impact in their communities. Sackcloth & Ashes hopes to donate 1 million blankets by 2024. 

Parachute - For every Venice percale bedding set sold at Parachute, it donates one malaria-prevention bed net in partnership with the UN Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign. 

Mable - For every toothbrush Mable sells, the company donates a toothbrush to a child in the U.S. and teaches schools about personal hygiene and sustainability. 

The Right to Shower -  The company sells natural and ethically made soaps and body washes, with 30% of profits going to build mobile showers in cities around the world to help the homeless.  


There are many other small to mid-size companies that contribute to charities year-round. However, they aren’t the only ones. Big, national companies help support charities as well.

BB Industries – They help to support several charities including Habitat for Humanity, Susan J. Koman Race for the Cure, and various veteran’s organizations.

Warby Parker – They provide PPE and preventive health supplies to healthcare workers and communities in need when you purchase glasses.

Estee Lauder – This makeup and perfume giant has been contributing to breast cancer research for decades.

Disney – In 2022, Disney donated over $230 million to various non–profits to help support the arts and STEM education.

Bombas – With every purchase, Bombas donates socks or t-shirts to homeless shelters. I have purchased socks from them and to me, they were good socks.

SeaWorld - They partner with charities across the country.  These organizations include OCEARCH, The Humane Society of the United States, The Everglades Foundation, and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.

Dick’s Sporting Goods - Since 2014, their Sports Matter Program has donated $80 million to support youth athletes and sports programs. They invest in these programs to improve sports infrastructure, reduce registration fees, lower league costs, and distribute proper equipment to all.

Kroger - Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste program donates food to local food banks and donates money to help food banks broaden their services. Kroger partners with Feeding America, No Kid Hungry, the USO, and American Red Cross to ensure that American families don’t go hungry.

All My Sons Moving and Storage – They partner with Toys for Tots and the American Red Cross.


The point to all this is: Giving to charity makes us feel good on a personal level. Helping others encourages a positive personal mood and has a positive effect on our brains.  As funny as it sounds, helping others makes us healthier. (No kidding). 

The holidays are stressful – no doubt about it, and hopefully in the past you have eased that stress, at least momentarily, by picking an Angel, helping the Christmas Mother, or helping some other charity. 

However, this year is a different year.  We all know it. If you can’t personally contribute to a local or national charity during the holidays, support a company that makes those contributions a part of their company culture, not just at the holidays, but all year-round. I felt good when I ordered those Bombas socks because I knew they would send socks to a homeless shelter. One of the reasons I hired All My Sons Moving and Storage for my recent move was because while researching moving companies, they were front and center about the charities they help. I felt good helping them help others. 

Don’t worry. You can still help, do good, and feel good even though this was a “different year.”


Please send your thoughts and comments on this article to Sharon Koehler at Sharonk.SRG@gmail.com .