travel accessories wish list + charity

FEED Backpack

FEED Backpack, $75
This adventure-ready backpack provides 75 school meals.

FEED Health Backpack

FEED Health Backpack, $130
For each FEED Health backpack sold, FEED will donate an identical backpack to a Community Health Worker (CHW) working in a Millennium Village in Africa.

FEED Function Bag

FEED Function Bag, $100
This functional and stylish bag provides 100 meals, and is Jessica Alba-approved!

FEED Philippines T-Shirt

FEED Philippines T-Shirt, $33
A purchase of this t-shirt provides 10 emergency meals to children and families in the Philippines affected by typhoon Haiyan.

I have never witnessed so many individuals, organizations, companies, groups, and countries unite for one cause. The help and the compassion that the Philippines has received after typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda struck has been extremely overwhelming, heart-warming, and inspiring. A few days after crying in front of the TV every time we watched CNN’s coverage of the typhoon, my friend Apa asked me if I wanted to sing on the street to raise funds for typhoon victims, since I like to sing in public. I thought she was joking, but when she assured me that she wasn’t, I said yes. With all odds against us – we received our street performance permit just a few days before the performance, we had no sound system, not much time, no rehearsals, minors as dancers, rain and cold weather – we went ahead and sang and (they) danced in the rain. My knees were shaking because it was too cold, it was hard to move, and I didn’t wear gloves because I painted my nails in the colors of the Philippine flag (I am detail-oriented, okay), but I kept thinking that it was just rain; it’s nothing compared to a super typhoon. It was strange seeing people stop, listen and stay, and it was amazing to see them actually dropping money in the donation box. We are truly grateful for the people’s generosity – in those two hours, we were able to raise €675 (that’s PhP 40,000!). The proceeds went to the Austrian Red Cross who provide food, clean water, medicine, hygiene kits, body bags and emergency shelter in the affected areas.