Philanthropy and Socially Responsible Giving

CCSJ has compiled a list of alternative ways of giving gifts during the holiday seasons and preparing gifts or favors for special events. The Web sites listed below offer ways to help you deciding how to spend your money in a philanthropy an socially responsible way.

• Murphy Initiative for Justice and Peace - To be part of the alternative Christmas gift giving, please choose a ministry to support and make a check payable to the ministry suggested by Murphy Initiative for Justice and Peace.
  
  
• Designs by Lucinda - A cause-related business dedicated to creating affordable jewelry of the highest quality for the purpose of bringing much needed financial help and awareness to non-profit organizations and their causes. Providing uniquely designed, handcrafted wearable art that benefits social causes through symbolic representation and whimsical creations, Designs By Lucinda has sold millions of pins and has helped raise tens of millions of dollars since the company's inception in 1989.
  *CCSJ has a supply of House Pins year round. They sell for $13 each and all the profit help support the Loyola's Beans & Bread Partnership. If you are interested in seeing our collection or more information, please email the Beans & Bread Service Coordinator at beansandbreadsc@loyola.edu
  
  
  
• Catholic Relief Services - Catholic Relief Services invites you to take a Christmas shopping trip around the globe. They have put a world of gifts—and ways to help others—at your fingertips. The CRS Gift Catalog offers you a glimpse of some of the lifesaving work CRS carries out in over 100 countries overseas. This season, as you embark on your holiday shopping, we hope you will consider giving a gift of hope by selecting a project or two from CRS gift catalog. Whether you choose by country, cause or need, you can be sure your gift will make a profound difference in the lives of God's precious children.
  
  
• Co-op America - A not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1982, Co-op America operates as a worker member cooperative, where staff members seek to achieve consensus through democratic decision-making processes on key strategic issues for the organization. Its mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. Their strategies are: empowering individuals to make purchasing and investing choices that promote social justice and environmental sustainability; demanding an end to corporate irresponsibility through collective economic action; promoting green and fair trade business principles while building the market for businesses adhering to these principles; and building sustainable communities in the United States and abroad.
  
  
• The Green Guide - The guide provides a source of product reviews, environmental health and wellness products information and green living advice. Whether you are searching for information on earth friendly products, green building materials or organic products and bottled water, or you want to know what the latest research is on mercury in fish, flame retardants, healthy wellness products or food safe plastics and cookware, The Green Guide is a trusted green living resource for those who are conscious of creating a living where there are green homes everywhere.
  
  
• iGive.com - Donate while you are shopping online! iGive.com is an organization that has developed a patent-pending, Web-based system that allows online shoppers to purchase the products with allocation of a portion of every sale to the charity of your choice. Best of all, you are the one who gets to take the tax deduction. To date, iGive shoppers have directed more than $1.8 million to the charity of their choice.
  
  
• Global Crafts - They specialize in African Art and Crafts and also carry a wide international range of art and craft products. Their mission is to offer income-generating opportunities to craftspeople in developing countries by following fair trade practices including paying in advance at least the market price for items, ensuring that craftspeople receive payment, and ensuring that the craftspeople work in fair working conditions.
  
  
• A+ Bonus Bucks - Are you a GIANT food store shopper? Do you have a GIANT bonus card? If so, you can register with A+ Bonus Bucks program to donate your Bonus Bucks to the following schools with whom the Loyola community is involved. Your support is greatly needed and your participation will be most welcomed. (Sister’s Academy – bonus code 04638; Mother Seton Academy – bonus code 02934; St.Mary at Govan - bonus code 01343) You can register online by clicking the A+ icon above or you can stop by CCSJ office to pick up a registration card and we will be happy to mail it for you.
  
  
• Charity Navigator - Charity Navigator goal is to help you navigate the crowded charitable marketplace and make intelligent giving decisions. They try to provide an unbiased data needed to find a well-run charity to support. They offer a list of quick reference guide to the highest and lowest-rated charity in each cause that they have evaluated. If you plan to donate to United Way in Central Maryland, you can choose to designate your donation to one or more agency(s) which you would like to support. We would like to invite you to support agencies that have been CCSJ long time partners in community service. Please click here to view the list of those agencies, and click on the agency that you would like to support and get the detail information and contact of that agency which are required in filling the United Way form.
  
  
• New American Dream - The Center for a New American Dream helps Americans consume responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life and promote social justice. It urges people to live every day by being conscious of how our spending can make a big difference in determining the health of the planet, the well-being of others, even our own happiness. Everything we do has an impact. They aim at helping people live consciously, buy wisely and make a difference.