#GivingTuesday Honors - Share the Love

Share the Love on #GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday is a day for giving back. It's a celebration of America’s greatest traditions: generosity, entrepreneurialism and community. While we will again donate a portion of sales from the Black Friday Cyber Monday weekend to the charities that are close to our hearts, for #GivingTuesday we wanted to do something a little different.  

We asked some of our favorite customers to tell us about the causes close to THIER hearts! 

When you shop on #GivingTuesday, at checkout use Coupon Code SHOPSMALL17 and you will get 15% off sitewide, get a FREE GIFT AND you will have to opportunity to SHARE THE LOVE!

Choose from a drop-down menu to donate 10% of the sale to the favorite causes chosen by our customers! 

Here's just a little bit about some of our customers and the causes you can choose from.

Peter A - World Central Kitchen

Peter is from New Jersey and has chosen Chef Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen in honor of the hurricane relief work they have done in Puerto Rico. 

"I try to make the earth a better place. I accept that people are unique and everyone should be able to share their feelings as long as other people are not harmed."

Peter is one of those young men who's kindness and generosity just shine through his personality so it was no surprise to us he was thinking of those hurricane victims.

Just two months after arriving in Puerto Rico, José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen served its 3 millionth meal on the island. The nonprofit has done more to feed people in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria than any other organization, despite the fact that disaster relief is actually a new area of focus for the group. World Central Kitchen uses the expertise of chefs to empower the people to be part of the solution, with focus on health, education, and jobs.

Colleen E - St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Colleen owns a little shop called Island Cove Beads and Gallery right here in Indian Rocks Beach. She's tender hearted and patient and she loves fiercely. Her personal passion is being creative and working with her hands. She also enjoys teaching people to make things and sharing her creative knowledge!

"At this time of year I am reminded of what I am most thankful for....my children and family. So my Charity is St. Judes, in hopes that a family going through terrible medical issues will get the help that they need."

Dave G - Low Country Food Bank 

Dave is from CT, and is also known as  “Nature Boy.” Dave loves to cook and believes sharing food can bridge cultures and differences, and no one should go hungry. A charity close to his heart is the Low County Food Bank in Charlestown SC. He gives annually in the name of Grant Guthrie, who died suddenly a couple of years ago.  

Dave met Grant (aka Muddwater) on a small Widespread Panic forum years ago.

"It was a very small tightknit group and Muddy was one of the leaders. Even just online he came across  larger than life and was a very funny, kind and caring person. I never got the chance to meet him in person, but I considered him a great friend and was shaken to the core when I found out he died. Another wonderful person on that site was Holly (Strut n Crow.) She and Grant eventually became one of the cutest couples ever and moved to Charlestown. Grant was Holly’s everything and vice versa. Holly works at Low County Foodbank and it just seemed like making a donation in his name was doing something good out of a horrible situation."

Bonnie Z - NAMI California

Bonnie Z, a retired kindergarten and first grade teacher and her husband live in a small, "rural-feeling" town on the central coast of California with their college attending son and their two cats. (Have we mentioned we love cats? Cats and elephants.)

Bonnie has chosen to support NAMI California. Like so many families, Bonnie's includes a family member who is affected by mental illness. 

NAMI California is a grassroots organization of families and individuals whose lives have been affected by serious mental illness. They advocate for lives of quality and respect, without discrimination and stigma. Like so many others, Bonnie's family has a member affected by mental illness. 

Peter, Dave and Bonnie are also all Dave Matthews Band fans! 

Lucile H - Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières)

Lucile of FL is an avid traveller and amatuer photographer. She has asked us to feature MSF. 

In more than 60 countries around the world, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) saves lives by providing medical aid where it is needed most—in armed conflicts, epidemics, natural disasters, and other crisis situations. 

"I hadn't heard of them until there was some news coverage of them in war torn Syria. I started following their work, the places they go. I really had no idea how broad the need is. These are real heroes who are working to save lives in some of the most danngerous and challenging conditions." 

There have been 7.6 million people displaced within Syria and another 3.2 million refugees registered outside. Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) operates more than 100 clinics and field hospitals in Syria, which is seen as the world’s most grave humanitarian disaster.