Giving Guide 2016: Global Events

December 14, 2015
3 min read

Ryan Jones

According to a study conducted by Network for Good, over 30% of all charitable funds are given just during the month of December. While those donations are needed, this holiday season consider planning a more holistic approach to giving throughout the year. Charities benefit from consistent funding just like you benefit from a regular paycheque.

Below are three current crises that will need your help in 2016. We have provided two examples of charities working in these areas, one local and one global, though there are many charities to choose from that are helping effectively and may better suit your preferences.

Global Refugee Crisis

The Syrian Civil War is just one conflict that is displacing innocent individuals to refugee camps and ultimately forcing them to settle in other countries. Refugees from Syria will start arriving in Canada in December. However, refugees will require support throughout the new year in order to become settled in their new homes. Charitable funding helps refugees leave dangerous situations, transition to safer regions, and integrate into their new homes.

Local: ISS of BC
Global: Doctors Without Borders

Climate Change

National Geographic has suggested this year’s drought in western North America may not have been an exception but the beginning of the new rule of extreme weather. The UN has determined that weather disasters have become twice as frequent in the last 20 years and that the trend is likely to continue. Environmental charities are faced with a wide range of challenges from land conservancy to pollution to animal protection, each of which requires significant funding to be successful.

Local: Nature Conservancy Of Canada
Global: World Wildlife Fund

Poverty

According to the National Report Card on Child and Family Poverty, 1 in 5 children in Canada live in poverty. And while that sounds bad, that number is much worse globally. Poverty is not something that is going away any time soon, but charitable donations can have a huge impact on peoples’ lives. Donations to charities that work in poverty reduction can go to projects that improve education standards, food security, and health and sanitation, to name just a few areas.

Local: Canada Without Poverty
Global: Unicef

So now you know where to start looking for a charity that works in an area you believe in. Want to make an even bigger change in the world? Maximize your charitable effort by giving gifts via Gift Back this holiday season. Gift Back allows you to give your friends, family, customers and employees a gift that lets them donate to a charity close to their own heart. Encourage them to think about what they care about, to research their cause and put their money where it makes the most difference. Then to consider giving year round instead of just during the holidays.