Happy holiday season, FRNds! In the spirit of reducing waste and being good stewards of our network and world, we wanted to share a few ways that we think you can shop sustainably and/or socially conscious this holiday season. 

One-Stop-Shop:

If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for environmentally friendly goodies, look no further than EarthHero, the eco-friendly online marketplace. EarthHero vets their partner brands to ensure their consumers are receiving high-quality goods made with low-impact materials, ensures their operations are low waste and climate neutral, AND donates 1% of their annual sales to organizations working toward a more sustainable future (like FRN!) through being a member of 1% of the Planet.

For the adventure-seeking coffee lover:

Set your FRNd up for success with drinkware and quintessential coffee gear from Planetary Design, a small business based in Montana and long-time friend and supporter of FRN. 

For the Sweet Tooth:

Shop yummy edible cookie dough from the woman-owned and operated company, supporter and friend of FRN, Edoughble. Based in Los Angeles but shipping nationwide, Edoughble offers goodies made in small batches and using only all-natural and clean ingredients. YUM! 

For the person who’s always on the go:

Pack in, pack out with Terra Thread’s line of Fairtrade certified organic cotton backpacks, duffle bags, and more. Founded by father-daughter duo Vik and Vizan Giri, Terra Thread’s vision is to create the world’s most affordable, durable, sustainable, and ethically produced backpacks and bags, all while having a positive impact on the world.

For the gift-giver looking for something unique and handmade:

Shop to support Ten Thousand Villages, a nonprofit fair trade organization that markets handcrafted products made by artisans from more than 120 artisan groups in more than 35 countries.

And finally, consider donating your time or money to FRN to make an impact and support our movement to mitigate climate change and end hunger:

• Gift a donation to FRN on behalf of a loved one. This month, your donation to FRN will go twice as far thanks to a matching donation of $10,000 provided by fairlife. Your contribution helps FRN provide technical assistance, mentorship, supplies, and outreach to our 191 student-led chapters across the U.S. to support their hunger-fighting efforts.

• Gather your loved ones and sign up for an FRN x Farmlink Power Hour. Through our partnership with The Farmlink Project, FRN is organizing virtual, one-hour zoom calls (Power Hours) to research and contact farms that may be in need of food recovery support. Farm surplus is a major driver of food waste so the more food recovered from farm fields, the more CO2 emissions are saved. On average, one Power Hour results in about 23,000 lbs of fresh, surplus food recovered, which is equal to 22.43 CO2 emissions saved!

We here at FRN are so grateful for the commitment of our nationwide network and their efforts to mitigate climate change and end hunger through everyday efforts of food recovery, advocating for change, and empowering others to get involved in their communities.