Supporting a cause you care about can be simple and stress-free, even if you don't have a ton of spare time or money. Many of the non-profits that make a difference in the world have Amazon charity wish lists that are easy to access.
You just choose a charity that reflects your values, find their wish list online, and make small or large purchases to fulfill their needs. Amazon takes care of shipping it to them. It's a five-minute, totally doable good deed that's no big deal for you but potentially game-changing for someone else.
How to Find a Charity Wish List on Amazon
There are a couple of ways to shop in this meaningful way on Amazon. Using AmazonSmile, you can find a list for a specific organization you already support, or you can browse all the options and choose one that resonates with you. Here's how:
- Go to AmazonSmile.
- If you already know what charity you want to support, just type it into the search field. If not, browse to find a good match.
- To browse different charities, just click on a cause that's important to you. Choices include things like the arts, animals, the environment, health, spiritual causes, and lots of others.
- Choose a specific charity within each cause. There are a lot of options - thousands, really - but you can narrow it down by location or a keyword. Once you click on the organization you want to support, you can see their wish list. It's all pretty easy.
In the Amazon app, you can access the charity wish lists by clicking the main menu and selecting Gifting and Charity. The lists are there for you to search or browse, just like on the web.
Highly Rated Amazon Charity Wish Lists to Consider
Since donating is really just a matter of a few clicks of the mouse, choosing a charity to support might be the hardest part. The thing is, just because a charity has a list doesn't necessarily mean it is well-run and effective in its mission. The ones listed here are highly rated by CharityWatch and have a good range of items on their Amazon lists. That means that whether you can spare five dollars or five hundred, there's a way for you to make a difference.
Dana Farber Cancer Institute - Pediatric Cancer Support
As one of the highest rated children's charities, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute is world famous for its dedication to research and cancer care. If you or someone in your life has battled cancer, this could be a good choice for your shopping donations. The Dana Farber Cancer Institute wish list includes items for supporting pediatric cancer patients, such as art supplies, activity books, small toys, hats and caps, and lots of other goodies.
RedRover - Animal Rescue
If you're an animal lover, your best bet could be RedRover, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing animals in crisis. They provide pet boarding to families struggling with domestic violence, foster a classroom empathy program for kids, and help animals in areas with natural disasters, among lots of other things. If you love animals, you can shop the RedRover wishlist, which includes GoPro cameras and accessories.
Save the Children - Protection and Education of Kids
You probably remember the commercials from TV when you were a kid. Protecting kids around the world for more than a century, Save the Children focuses on the health and education of kids in underprivileged areas. There are actually a few Save the Children wish lists to choose from, including books and toys for kids in need.
World Vision - Help for People in Need
A Christian non-profit organization that helps people in need of all faiths, World Vision is a good choice if you want to donate important practical supplies where they are needed most at the moment. You can choose from several World Vision wish lists that focus on disaster relief, food, household supplies, toys, and more.
National Kidney Foundation - Support for Patients and Donors
It can be challenging for patients struggling with kidney disease, and the National Kidney Foundation offers direct patient and donor support. They also conduct screenings to help people determine if they're at risk. You can donate to a local chapter by searching for your state or city. The National Kidney Foundation of Wisconsin wish lists include items like office supplies, screening event needs, and patient needs like pill organizers or helpful books.
Waterkeeper Alliance - Clean Water Preservation
Clean water is essential for life, and the Waterkeeper Alliance works to mobilize grassroots efforts to protect it around the world through citizen action and monitoring. If you have a few dollars to spare, the Waterkeeper Alliance wish list includes snacks, personal flotation devices, camera equipment, water filters, and a ton of other useful products.
Breast Cancer Research Foundation - Patient Support and Research
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which supports patients and helps facilitate research into breast cancer, has state groups with individual Amazon wish lists. You can search for your state in the browse tool to see what they need most. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama, for instance, needs everything from office and cleaning supplies to folding tables and tablets.
Fisher House - Comfort for Military Families
Military families face many challenges, including base transfers, deployments, and everyday stress that comes with the sacrifice they make. Fisher House steps in to offer comfort homes for families to stay together when a service member or veteran is hospitalized. There are many local chapters that need basic things. For example, the Michigan Fisher House wish list includes food, cleaning supplies, and other small items.
Boys & Girls Club of America - Support for At-Risk Kids
Boys & Girls Club of America has local chapters to support children in all kinds of ways. They work to offer emotional assistance, mentoring, and practical help for kids and teens who need it. Chapters have individual lists, but the Variety Heights Boys & Girls Club in Los Angeles wish list includes games, toys, art supplies, electronics and lots of other great items you can donate.
National Audubon Society - Protection for Birds and the Environment
If you're a bird lover, the National Audubon Society might be the perfect choice. It's dedicated to protecting birds and their habitat, which includes coasts, waterways, land, and the climate in general. You can find local chapters and donate in your own area. The Seattle Audubon Society wish list includes things like garden tools and supplies for hosting fundraisers.
Wish Lists for Causes You Care About
If you're browsing the wish lists, you'll see that Amazon organizes them into nine major categories. This is handy, but it can still be a little overwhelming to sort through them and find the one for you. Here are a few great options.
If You Love Animals
Whether you want to send a chew toy to puppies in need or help preserve habitat for elephants in the wild, there's a charity that can make it happen:
- ASPCA - You've probably heard of the ASPCA, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They have several lists, so you can steer your donation where you want it to go. If you buy something off the kitten nursery wish list, for example, you know it's going to help kittens - and that's a warm and fuzzy feeling.
- Wildlife SOS - Who doesn't love elephants (and all the other amazing wildlife in India)? Wildlife SOS protects the habitat of these animals. The items on the Wildlife SOS wish list include things the team needs to care for the animals and their environment.
- Furkids - No-kill animal shelters take a lot of resources, and Furkids is a large one based in Georgia. You can pick up items on their list that directly help animals, such as food, toys, care items, and more.
If You Want to Help Internationally
Giving back can mean helping less privileged people around the world, and there are a lot of lists to choose from. The best options are specific and line up with your values:
- Heifer International - You know that old saying about teaching a man to fish instead of just giving him a fish? Heifer International helps by giving animals and training to small farmers around the world, allowing them to better support their families. They have domestic and international wish lists to choose from.
- Food for the Poor - As the name says, Food for the Poor aims to give food to people who need it - mainly in Latin America and the Caribbean. They also help with emergencies and natural disasters. You can donate actual food, tents and shelters, and lots of other items.
- Days for Girls - Personal hygiene and basic menstruation awareness can make a huge difference in empowering girls around the world, and this charity works to provide education and supplies to people who identify as female. Donate anything from personal care products to packing supplies for sending them where they are needed.
If You Support Better Health
Anyone who has gone through a health challenge or loved someone who has knows that it can be a super stressful experience. Support patients and their families with these charities:
- American Cancer Society - With wish lists for specific regions of the country, the American Cancer Society needs items for their Hope Lodges. These are homes for people who are undergoing treatment.
- Lifelong - AIDS has a huge impact on the lives of people living with it or at risk for HIV, and you can offer direct help by buying off the Lifelong wish list. It includes essentials like food and hygiene supplies.
- Haymarket Center - Help people struggling with substance abuse by donating items from the Haymarket Center wish list. The center works to provide behavioral health services to help people dealing with this challenge.
If You Want to Help Kids
Some kids are born into privilege and others...not so much. You can help make life just a little closer to fair by donating items that kids need for comfort, health, and education:
- Together We Rise - There's a whole lot of luck that goes into being born into a solid and loving home, and not everyone gets that privilege. Together We Rise works with kids in the foster care system to make life a little easier. You can donate from wish lists for hygiene, school supplies, holidays, and more.
- Project Linus - Remember how much your blanket or special stuffy mattered to you as a kid? Project Linus connects volunteers who make blankets for kids who need comfort. You can donate blanket-making supplies of all kinds.
- Reading Is Fundamental - Give books to kids who need them by donating from the Reading Is Fundamental wish list. There are tons of titles to choose from, and they all go to kids who might not otherwise have access to books of their own.
If You Want to Support Science and the Arts
Supercharge scientific research and outreach or help make the arts available to everyone by donating items to a charity that supports these causes:
- Lowell Observatory - In addition to being a National Historic Landmark, the Lowell Observatory runs outreach programs for kids and Native American astronomy. You can support them by buying off their wish lists, which have things like astronomy books and supplies.
- New Orleans Musicians' Assistance Foundation - New Orleans has a rich musical legacy that people all over the US and the world enjoy. The thing is, the life of a musician isn't always an easy one. This charity helps musicians access housing, medical care, food, and other necessities, and they have a lot of wish lists to choose from.
- Art With a Heart - Art education can be game-changing, especially for people who might not have access to it ordinarily. Donate art supplies off the Art With a Heart wish list to help seniors, those in group homes, people in shelters, and many others access their creative potential.
Do Good and Feel Good With Your Shopping
Donating to non-profits can take a lot of forms, but few are as easy and stress-free as buying directly off the charity's Amazon wish list. Plus, there's the added benefit of knowing exactly what your donation will do, since you're buying something specific for a cause. You can't beat shopping that will do good and make you feel good about your contribution at the same time.
