15 Gifts That Give Back for 2020

With so much loss this year, we’re all looking for ways to help communities in need, and many brands are doing their part to help put food on the table for struggling families, protect the environment, and create better, fairer supply chains for the products we love and use every day. Read on for some of our favorite gifts that give back.

Material is a direct-to-consumer cookware company we love, and the brand’s Kinder Kitchens project donates to charitable organizations. Heart of Dinner delivers meals to the homebound elderly, and Drive Change assists formerly incarcerated people learn skills to find employment. Shoppers have the opportunity to donate their discount with every purchase.

Great buy: The Coated Pan, $86 (was $95) at materialkitchen.com

This 100% Arabica, specialty grade coffee comes with a little something extra for pups in need—20% of the profits are donated to rescue shelters across the country. We recommend the three blend start kit, complete with the “Morning Walk” light roast, the “Paper & Slippers” medium blend, and the “Alpha Blend” dark roast. Order it in whole bean, ground, or even single-serve pod format. They also have very good hot chocolate varieties, great for the less caffeine-inclined or a winter treat for the whole family.

Great buy: Three Blend Start Kit. $27 at groundsandhounds.com

Shaker & Spoon sends kits with everything you need to make specific cocktails, and this season they’ve partnered with a few alcohol brands to donate 100% of proceeds from sales of this old fashioned kit to the BEAP (Bartender Emergency Assistance Program) for helping out-of-work bartenders during the pandemic. Prefer a mezcal drink? Opt for the Red Devil 2.0 kit instead, which also donates all proceeds to help out-of-work hospitality workers.

Great buy: La Trova Old Fashioned Kit, $30 at shakerandspoon.com

Seattle Chocolate and Jcoco do a variety of charity initiatives, and a great one to check out this season is the “Cheers to Our Heroes” set.  The limited-edition series celebrates 100 years of women’s suffrage by donating 5% of net profits to Mary’s Place, supporting women and children on a path out of homelessness. The truffle set includes Hazelnut Butter, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Pink Bubbly, Dark Sea Salt Toffee, and Peanut Butter truffles. All great flavors for a great cause.

Great buy: Better Together Truffle Bag, $19 at seattlechocolate.com

Made In does regular charity collaborations, and also offers a cookware recycling program. When you buy new tools from Made In, you can opt for a prepaid shipping label to send back your tired pots and pans to be melted down and recycled. You can support the Independent Restaurant Coalition this Giving Tuesday with a virtual cook-a-long with chef Tom Colicchio—100% of the proceeds will go directly to support restaurant workers impacted by COVID-19. 

Great buy: Virtual Cooking Class with Tom Colicchio for Giving Tuesday (for December 10), $30 at madeincookware.com

Burlap & Barrel is on a mission to stop exploitation in food systems, and a big part of that is paying farmers a larger share to develop long-term relationships with spice sources. This means they have some of the best spices, sourced from great purveyors outside of the mass-produced mills in big-box grocery stores. 

Great buy: Fundamentals Collection, $47 at burlapandbarrel.com

Lifestraw is committed to bringing clean water to communities around the globe, with follow-up visits by volunteers to ensure the water filtration systems are in good condition. Every purchase accounts for a year of safe drinking water.

Great buy: Lifestraw Water Filter Pitcher, $40 atlifestraw.com

These reusable, dishwasher-safe sealable bags have become a staple in millions of homes. The brand supports 1% For the Planet, and a portion of every Stasher sold goes straight to high-impact nonprofits like Surfrider and 5 Gyers, both focused on reducing plastic waste and protecting the oceans. Their packaging is also made from 70% post-consumer recycled materials.

Great buy: Stasher Bags Set, $50 at amazon.com

Askinosie is a single-origin, highly sustainable chocolate brand dedicated to supporting farmers as well as workers every step along the way. This kit contains their most popular chocolate bars and a guide to tasting at home. 

Great buy: Chocolate Tasting Kit, $32 at askinosie.com

Soma has beautiful glass water bottles and many other drinking vessels. They partner with Charity: water, an organization that contributes to sustainable, community-owned water projects in developing countries. $30 at amazon.com

The Savannah Bee Company founded The Bee Cause Project, a not-for-profit that installs honeybee hives in schools worldwide to educate and protect honey bees for future generations while helping students develop STEAM skills. 

Savannah Bee Honey Sampler $30 at williams-sonoma.com

Williams Sonoma has a long history of partnering with No Kid Hungry, dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America. This box of cookies would be a great gift to send the medical professionals in your life, for a good cause on both ends.

Great buy: Thank You Health Heroes Cookies, $43 at williams-sonoma.com

Spicewalla also has a large spice kit that benefits No Kid Hungry. The Kitchen Essentials pack has 18 spices that cover all your cooking and baking needs. $90 at spicewalla.com

This gin brand is made in Big Sur and supports the gray whales that migrate along its shores every year. Made with sustainably sourced ingredients from local farmers (even with a biodegradable cork), the brand supports Oceana and 1% for the Planet to protect the oceans and the wildlife that lives there. $40 at caskers.com

This digital cookbook has 50 easy recipes from Penguin Random House’s food and drink authors, including Ina Garten, Samin Nosrat, Hugh Acheson, and Kwame Onwuachi. All proceeds from Family Meal will benefit the Restaurant Workers' Covid-19 Emergency Relief Fund, to help the restaurant community during the pandemic. $6 at amazon.com