I do not believe in Black Friday and I do not believe in Cyber Monday. Today is #GivingTuesday but I believe every day should be a Giving Day.

Givebackpackers was not started to sell the world more stuff. It was started on the idea of connecting purpose driven travelers and good causes to the resources they need to do more good in the world.

We first introduced the concept of selling handmade goods from around the world after I had some success selling Mexican artisan accessories on Krissy’s etsy shop to raise money for Door of Faith Orphanage in Baja. On our trip around the world last year we collected the most amazing handmade things along the way and began selling them online and at markets and events. It was a lot of work to keep that much inventory organized and to physically manage all of it. I quickly realized the idea of selling stuff did not align with my values and my mission to create meaningful experiences that made an impact.

Earlier this summer Krissy and I parted ways as business partners. She kept the stuff and started a new company, Twin Peaks Apparel and the Givebackpackers got back to what we do best, travel!

We have made two different trips to Nicaragua, where we are funding a clean water well in a rural village and sponsoring a school with supplies, security, playground equipment and seriously needed upgrades to the school. Each trip had about 5 volunteers from all backgrounds, with the shared goal of traveling with a purpose. (We made plenty of time for fun adventures like paddle boarding Lake Granada and volcano boarding down Cerro Negro.) We all shared a life changing experience and saw the impact we made with our fundraising and on the ground efforts.

We are now focusing all our efforts on trips like these that combine our love of travel, culture, adventure and connection, with making a lasting impact on the beautiful places we visit. Our CTO, Sy “the IT guy” (or “Sly Sy” as I call him for his knack for surprises) is basically starting over on our development, shifting from a marketplace to a connection platform for fundraising and planning for trips with purpose. So many amazing things in the works. Juggling start up life, making a difference in the process and keeping our heads afloat is not easy, but nothing worth doing is. Thanks for joining the journey.  Sign up to be a Givebackpacker for info on the next trip!

with gratitude,

-Lindsay Hawley