Giving Back Gift Guide

Whether it’s a birthday, the holidays, the anniversary of reclaiming your freedom or just a well-deserved treat for yourself (you deserve it), there’s always a reason to give a gift. And let’s be honest, most of us already own enough scarves and coffee mugs. Actually, scratch that. There’s always room for one more.

But if you’re looking for gifts that do a little more, we’ve got you covered. These picks support domestic violence nonprofits, create employment opportunities for survivors around the world or offer a thoughtful way to show a survivor of domestic violence in your life that you care.

Thoughtful Gifts Under $50

Asteroid Artillery Necklace from Ethiopia by Fair Anita, $25

You wouldn’t know it by looking at this gorgeous necklace, but the beads are actually made from recycled bullet casings by fair trade jewelry makers in Ethiopia—a far more beautiful use of ammunition if you ask us. The cool thing about Fair Anita is that it employs 8,000 survivors of sexual and domestic violence around the world to create their sustainable and recycled jewelry. They pay up to three times the minimum wage in countries like Ethiopia, Cambodia and Peru while also providing health insurance and offering educational scholarships for their employees. 

Queen of Cups Lip Lightning, $20

What’s better than a pampering beauty treatment as a gift? Queen of Cups, a survivor-founded business, has crafted these cute, lip-shaped wipes that’ll transform dry, winter lips into a gorgeously moisturized smile. Packed with hyaluronic acid and antioxidants, simply swipe the vegan and plant-based wipes across your pucker, then leave on for two minutes and relish in the results. The best part is, Queen of Cups’ founder, Alana Bell, donates a portion of the company’s sales to the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

Two Soup and Cornbread Gift Bundle from the Women’s Bean Project, $25

The Women’s Bean Project was founded in 1989 by Jossy Eyre when she was volunteering at a women’s shelter in Denver, Colo. She saw the need for sustained financial independence for survivors in addition to temporary safety. Now, women from all walks of life, including survivors of domestic abuse and sex trafficking, homelessness and drug addiction, who face multiple and complex barriers to employment, can find self-sufficiency and confidence through work at the Women’s Bean Project.  

What better way to warm someone’s house and heart than with homemade soup? This bundle includes their three top-selling products—10 Bean Soup, Lentil Soup and Golden Cornbread. Yum.

Bright Endeavors Emerald Fig Tree Candle, $22

A gorgeous candle is always a great gift idea, especially one that keeps your nose guessing. With three layers of fragrance—ripe fig and peach up top, coconut and jasmine in the middle, and amber and cashmere at the base—your home won’t smell the same two days in a row. Even better, Bright Endeavors’ products are made by young moms enrolled in its paid job-training program, helping them build skills for future financial independence. It’s a gift that smells good and does good.

Sacred Heart Ornament from the Joyful Heart Foundation’s Heartshop, $28

The Joyful Heart Foundation is a nonprofit started by the one-and-only Mariska Hargitay, star of Law & Order: SVU as well as long-time advocate for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. Hargitay began Joyful Heart in 2004 in response to the influx of letters from fans who spoke of their own sexual assaults and how much her show resonated with them. The nonprofit’s goal is to transform society’s response to abuse through avenues including its End the Backlog campaign, advocating for the processing of thousands of untested rape kits across the U.S.

This ornament is one of many gorgeous gifts available in the Heartshop, but we especially love this burning heart for its reminder to keep love and compassion alive all year long.

Birth Ring Flower Dish from Gifts for Good, $30

We all have little things to put in little dishes. This is an adorable—and personalized—gift that holds rings or trinkets and is embellished with the recipient’s birth flower. Each product from Gifts for Good supports a nonprofit or social enterprise, and the specific impact depends on the gift. This ring dish is made by survivors and unhoused women through a program called Prodigal Pottery in Alabama. If you’re not sure what to pick out, you can also give a gift certificate that funds a specific charity effort, such as one hour of care for a rescue pet or providing a child with a medical consultation. Corporate giving programs are also offered. 

Cordelia Bowl Candle from Prosperity Candle, $42

Prosperity Candle was founded on the belief that creating economic opportunities is key to helping women and families escape poverty. Founded in 2009, the organization began by helping women in conflict-affected regions, including Iraq, earn a living by making handcrafted candles, later expanding to employ women refugees resettled in the United States. 

This beautiful three-wick candle would be gorgeous on anyone’s table. Choose from delicious scents like Sage + Sea Salt or French Lavender + Vanilla and take comfort in the glow of women reaching financial independence. Read the organization’s entire amazing story of inception here. For 2 years in a row, Prosperity Candle has been recognized by B-Lab as a Best for the World small enterprise.

Hope Box Curated Gift Box from GreenHouse 17, $39
We love what Purple Ribbon Award winner GreenHouse 17 is doing to help domestic violence survivors in Kentucky. (Read all about it in our story, “Growing a Better Life.”) The nonprofit serves 17 counties in Kentucky. In addition to offering shelter to survivors, it also offers them the opportunity to learn gardening and self-sufficiency by tending to a half-acre of greenhouses and beehives on the property. All the survivor-made products come from organically grown plants and honey harvested on site. This aptly named Hope Box would make a great gift for a survivor or someone who supports survivors. Included is a bar of cold-pressed soap, a soy wax candle, bath salts and lip balm. 

Baddie In a Box Self-Defense Smart Lipstick, $49.99

For the person who appreciates a gift with a little extra purpose, Esōes Cosmetics (pronounced S.O.S., for obvious reasons) delivers beauty with a side of personal safety. Founded by entrepreneur and advocate Joy Hoover, the brand offers a lipstick with a discreet panic button, drink-spike test strips and a built-in cup cover. The mission is meaningful: One in five women will experience rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. Of those assaults, at least 28 percent involve perpetrators who administer drugs without the survivor’s consent to facilitate the sexual assault. These clever products offer a practical way to help someone feel more prepared when they're out and about.

Black Vegan Leather Mini Handbag with Gold Detail from Hopefull Handbags, $45

If you don’t want to pay over $1,000 for the Gucci original, this replica is a perfect alternative. It’s on the smallish side, great for a night out where all you need is a phone and maybe one of the aforementioned smart lipsticks. We love buying secondhand goods for gifts—it’s great for the planet and your carbon footprint. Poshmark provides an avenue for others to sell gently used, high-end goods at a fraction of their original prices. Plus, your smart shopping can do good. The proceeds of each purchase of a Hopefull Handbag goes directly back to survivors in the community where the handbag was donated from in the form of a donation. They also donate filled bags for survivors with necessities like shampoo, lotion, toothbrushes and feminine needs. New bags are added to the online shop weekly in case this one is already sold.

A Little Something Extra (Gifts Over $50+)

GIFTED by FreeFrom Manifest Duo, $64.99

If you haven’t heard of FreeFrom yet, prepare to be impressed. This nonprofit’s goal is to turn survivors into entrepreneurs, helping them to monetize their skills and start their own businesses or product lines. Not only does this help instill a much-deserved boost of confidence but also helps build financial independence as they embark on a healthy, abuse-free future. Their GIFTED line highlights some of these survivors’ products, like this Manifesting Soy Candle with scents of sage and orange, as well as their Aqua De Ritual Mist, both of which can help survivors look forward toward a brighter future.

2027 Black Leather Dream Planner Notebook from Horacio Printing, $64
This journal isn’t just blank pages—oh, no. It’s a guide to making all your dreams come true in 2027. And it has stickers! (There is a Christian undertone to it, just as an FYI). And here’s where the do-gooding comes in: Horacio Printing dedicates 20 percent of its quarterly profit to help end sex trafficking through the organization A21. So far, they’ve raised over $100,000. 

'Courage’ Purple Throw Blanket from thread talk, $135

You can never have enough super-soft blankets, and this 60x80” throw comes with the added bonus of helping a bevy of 2,600 domestic violence organizations nationwide—including supporting Alliance for HOPE International’s work to create communities of safety, hope and healing. The company was founded by Hannah Kay Herdlinger, a survivor of domestic violence who knows that feeling safe can sometimes mean literally wrapping yourself in comfort. It's wonderfully soft, hypoallergenic and perfect for curling up on the couch. It’s the kind of blanket you'll find yourself reaching for again and again.

Lovebox Spinning Heart Messenger from Uncommon Goods, $100-170

We just think this one is an inventive idea for anyone, but especially survivors—those who may still be with an abusive partner and need a reminder that they have outside support (gift only if safe to do so), those who may have already left an abuser and also need that reminder, or those who have to be separated from their children and want to remind their children that they’re with them. Each time you message your loved one through their app, the heart on the front of the box spins to alert them. Once they open the box, they can read the message inside. Spinning the heart sends back a slew of digital hearts.  

Go Ahead, Spoil Them (Gifts Over $200+)

Liberation Collection Tote from The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, $250

The hardworking advocates in Maine have designed a limited-edition Sea Bags collection just in time for the holidays. The design depicts the fronds of ferns unraveling themselves, symbolizing the survivor’s journey from self-protection to renewal. Up to 35 percent of the proceeds of this collection go toward MCEDV’s Liberation Fund to help cover the costs associated with helping survivors escape safely and rebuild their lives. 

N8iV Beauty’s Sun, Moon and Stars Collection, $300

Looking for that over-the-top self-care gift that also benefits women? N8iV Beauty, known for being offered at Ritz-Carlton Hotels, offers a complete skincare ritual that moves through the day and into the night. It includes the Daybreak Moisturizing Cream, Móyla Moon Polish to renew and refresh dull skin and Starlight Regenerative Cream to end the evening with restorative care. Developed by Ruth-Ann Thorn, an enrolled member of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, a portion of all proceeds benefit the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement.

Women Empowered–Pink Belt Qualification Course from Gracie University, $249 

For that friend or family member who’s ready to kick some booty, and take names. Gracie University, named for the renowned jujutsu technique taught to the U.S. military, can now be accessed in your living room. Their 80-day online course covers all aspects of protecting yourself from some of the most common attacks against women, covering both the physical and psychological aspects of self-defense. Learning self-defense is a skill any woman could benefit from knowing, so grab a friend and learn how to become bada*s don’t-mess-with-me-fighting-machines together. If you complete the course and pass the video-based Pink Belt test, you’ll receive an official Pink Belt and promotion certificate. Bonus: the program comes with an additional FITjitsu course, a 42-minute full-body workout.  

Give a Little Hope

Give a gift that gives back. Make a donation to DomesticShelters.org in honor of someone you love. Your gift helps survivors access the information, resources, and shelter connections they need to take their next steps toward safety. Donate in someone's honor.