Deals Episodes
Gifts That Give Back
From shoes, to jewelry, clothing and books - you can make every day purchases that "give back."
"Not only am I buying something that's a great deal but it has some meaning behind it, too," said Alisha Campbell, Whole Earth Provisions Company.
Probably one of the most popular examples out there right now is Toms Shoes.
"When you purchase a pair of Toms, Toms donates a pair of shoes to a child in need," said customer Anda West. "One thing about Toms that I love is it really does give back to the community."
Anda West is buying her eighth pair of Toms. And, it's not just because she likes the way they fit.
"The fact that you are helping someone in a completely different country that doesn't have the luxury to get a pair of shoes," said West.
Toms has given more than one million pairs of shoes to children in need.
"They are simple. They are all the same cut and style," said Campbell.
There are also skirts made out of recycled t-shirts. They are created by refugee women who are now living in the United States.
"Of course treated with dignity, they are paid fair wages," said Campbell. "All the things they were not getting from the the country they were coming from."
There are also one of a kind pieces of jewelry named "Ember."
"They are recycled paper that are made into beads by women in Uganda," said Campbell. "It's fair trade, so the money goes back to the villages where the beads were made. Each one has a special touch. Made specifically for each one of the wearers."
"I think it's awesome because either way, I mean individuals buy jewelry all the time from big companies and they are making a lot of money," said customer Olivia Reber. "Seeing beautiful stuff like this that I wear, I would buy it and it gives to people who need the money."
"This hand full of beads could feed their entire family for a month at a time," said Campbell.
You can also buy for the kids and help others. There is a unique children's book has a funny title but an important purpose.
"Wanda and the Oblahlah's is about a little girl who chews gum all day - sort of my daughter Gretchen when she was little," said author Joseph Sutton. "I made up this story if you chew gum at night and fall asleep with gum in your mouth the Oblahlah's come. The proceeds of the book have been donated 100 percent to Children At Risk which is a charity focused on stopping child trafficking. I just never realized child trafficking existed in the United States. I thought this is something we can really go after and maybe put some finances towards and focus on it -- maybe we can stop it."
And, you can also help pets.
"We all know that there are tons of animals out there that need our help, too," said Campbell.
"Planet Dog" sells dog toys and accessories. The company gives two percent of its proceeds to K-9 service dog programs across the country.
"So even your furry friends need some help every once in a while," said Campbell.
"The fact that you are just giving in general is amazing," said West.
For more information on the items that "give back" check the websites below:
