Five Ways to Give Back This Holiday Season | Tuft & Needle

The holidays are here and this year, more than ever, you might be looking for ways to give back. At Tuft & Needle, making a positive impact on the community is in our DNA. In fact, our Gives Back™ Program was created to do just that. So, look no further—we’ve compiled a list of easy (and safe) ways to make a difference this season.

1. Thank essential workers

We know them, we love them, we couldn’t have made it through 2020 without them (or any other year for that matter). Show frontline and essential workers some gratitude this holiday season by being patient in long lines or giving them a heartfelt thank you. You can also consider tipping a little extra as a token of your appreciation, if it’s available to you. But it doesn’t stop there. You can take it a step further by creating and displaying appreciation signs or even sending them a handwritten card.

2. Donate blood

This is an important way to give back in general, but especially in the midst of a pandemic. In fact, there’s been a shortage of blood donations this year, so it’s a vital way to make a difference. Not only do hospitals still need blood donations in order to perform life-saving operations, but the convalescent plasma in people who’ve recovered from COVID-19 can be used to treat new cases of the virus. In fact, one blood donation could help treat up to four COVID-19 patients. If you’re able to do so, make a lasting impact this holiday and schedule a blood donation today: Redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive

3. Ask for donations instead of gifts

Consider asking loved ones to donate to a charitable cause of your choice in lieu of presents. Simply switching up what’s on your wish list can have a really amazing ripple effect for everyone in your life. Not only will some incredible organizations feel the extra love from your gifts, but you could inspire your friends and family to do the same.

4. Deliver groceries to those in need

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we need to be there for each other. Something as simple as dropping off groceries to someone in need can make a world of difference. Whether it’s signing up to deliver groceries to the elderly or dropping by a hand-picked bag to a neighbor, this is a relatively easy way to share some holiday joy this year.

5. Buy from brands that give back

As you cross things off your holiday list, try to buy from companies who give back in some way. There are plenty of brands to choose from with amazing philanthropic missions and some even focus on local communities. Below are a few thought-starters.

• AmazonSmile: Amazon.com’s sister website offers all the same products and vendors with one major benefit: 0.5% of eligible purchases go to a charity of your choosing. Pretty cool, right?
• Found My Animal: This Brooklyn-based doggie shop features handcrafted accessories. Part of the proceeds supports animal welfare and various rescues. Plus, part of their website is dedicated to facilitating direct pet adoptions.
• Warby Parker: Historically, their ‘Buy a Pair, Give a Pair’ program has ensured that with every pair of glasses purchased, another pair would be donated to someone in need. However, during COVID-19, they have pivoted the majority of their efforts to prioritize public health and safety through their partnership with VisionSpring. So, now those funds go toward providing personal protective equipment to frontline workers, among other vital efforts.
• Tuft & Needle: As we mentioned at the beginning of this blog, philanthropy has always been a core value of our organization. From school fundraisers to our unique return policy which provides beds to those in need, you can sleep easy knowing your new Tuft & Needle product helped benefit someone else in the community.

No matter how you choose to give back, remember it’s the spirit that makes the holiday season so special. Wishing you happy holidays, from all of us at T&N.