The holidays are such a magical time of year with the lights and the Christmas shopping and the presents but there are so many people in need that we can really have a huge impact on this holiday season as well! I wanted to share some organizations that are near and dear to my heart.

• 

• 

Charities To Get Involved With

These are all organizations that are really close to my heart, as well as my families. Sometimes I think the hardest part about giving back is not knowing where to start so I hope this list makes it just a little bit easier for you.

Mental Health America – Mental Health America is committed to promoting mental health as a critical part of overall wellness – including prevention services, early identification and intervention for those at risk from mental health disorders. Mental health is such a stigmatized topic, and as I get older I’ve realized more and more how vital it is to normalize and bring awareness to the importance of taking care of your mental health. The MHA ‘Before Stage 4’ program helps identify and treat mental heath disorders long before the reach stage 4 by promoting education and action plans for treatment. You can donate to Mental Health America to bring hope to 1 in every 5 Americans suffering from a mental health disorder!

K9s for Warriors – Determined to end veteran suicide, K9s For Warriors provides highly-trained Service Dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and more. With the majority of dogs coming from high-kill rescue shelters, this program not only helps veterans heal but also rescues many dogs in the process. The K9 Warrior team helps to build an unwavering bond between warriors and rescue dogs that facilitates their collective healing and recovery! When you donate to K9s for Warriors you’re helping a rescue dog get paired with a veteran in need!

Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child – This is especially a favorite of mine and one that I have been working with for the last 10 years. I have gotten to put together the boxes but also go to their warehouse and be part of every stage of the process. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations. This whole process is made possible by caring individuals who pack shoeboxes full of quality gifts for children in need. 

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, genetic disorder that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs that impacts roughly 30,000 children, adults, and families in the US. The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) is to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people with CF the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives. CFF leads the path in the search for a cure for CF, investing in research and drug development, advancing high-quality specialized care, and contributing major strides made in caring for people with CF both medically and psychosocially. Click to donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or get involved with your local chapter.

Children’s Cancer Fund – Children’s Cancer Fund (CCF) champions kids in their fight against cancer through strategic investments in research and care in North Texas. As a nonprofit based in Dallas, CCF is closely affiliated with Children’s Health and UT Southwestern Medical Center, both of whom are national leaders in the research and treatment of pediatric cancer. Donations help to bring families who are going through treatments together, and provide Child Life services during treatment. Click to donate, or get involved with Children’s Cancer Fund.

• 

Small Businesses You Can Support This Christmas

• Catbird – stunning, hand-crafted jewelry made in Brooklyn NY! Their pieces are so dainty, feminine and unique! Would make great gift idea.
• Cancelled Plans Candles – handmade, small-batch candles that smell amazing! love the witty sayings on each one, and they’re made with clean burning wax!
• Madeline Moves – a long time favorite workout app of mine! Short + effective workouts that you can do at home, from your phone!
• Cloister Honey – Incredible honey made on a local farm in NC that comes in the most delicious flavors like cocoa, matcha and lemon ginger! A great gift idea for anyone in the family.
• Healthy eat on the go bars – my all time favorite bars because the ingredients are clean and they taste delicious!
• Lillie eats & tells – Probably 90% of the recipes I make for dinner come from Lillie’s ONE cookbook! They are simple and healthy and SO yummy.
• Gift Muse – Inspired giftboxes featuring goods from women owned businesses. Main mission is to give customers phenomenal easy custom gifting options to make your people feel like a Rockstar! Candles, custom boxes, and more, there is so much to go around.
• Cocoa Body Co. – Artisan soaps and skincare that are all natural, plant based, and palm oil free. Stephanie, the founder,  started making soap as a therapeutic outlet for her depression and now uses her platform to bring more awareness to mental health. She creates products that bring joy to everyday rituals such as bathing to make it seem less daunting and more rewarding.
• Little Blue Macaron – Custom macarons for all occasions! Taking me back to Paris and making me feel like I am actually there. Allison Vick creates beautiful and tasty macarons for any kind of occasion with a ton of different themes, colors, and flavors.
• Bella Ruth Co. – Made to order macrame wall hangings and some seriously awesome earrings to match. Kat McDaniel has some serious skills and is bringing her skills to the community to teach along with sell. Plant hangers, wall hangings, macrame earrings, and keychains, all unique and different.
• Nest Knits – LETS GET COMFY! Chunky knits that are handmade for every home. Beautiful colors and textures that are perfect for that cold day where you just want to cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie.
• The Tipsy Tamarin – Polymer Clay Earrings are a huge trend right now and catching steam. Since day one, they have continually featured a variety of high-quality, handmade, affordable products. So many colors, patterns, shapes, and collections that are made and perfect for everything.

• 

• 

What are some ways y’all love to give back this time of year? As always, thank y’all for stopping by and reading. I will see y’all back here next time.

Love, Dani