buy sunglasses - do double good.

I've heard some news through the grape-vine and wanted to share it with you today!

Warby Parker is already a do-gooder of a company - which in and of itself makes me have a slight crush on them.  Their buy-a-pair; give-a-pair program allows that for every pair of frames purchased, they give a pair of prescription glasses to someone in need.  You can read more about their amazing work here and also read how this summer they've surpassed over a half million frames distributed to people in need worldwide.

So besides being founded out of the idea that classic and flattering eyewear should not cost upwards of $300 and being one of the only carbon-neutral fashion brands in the world (if it sounds like I'm a little star-struck, you're right) - Warby Parker also has a new program launching today(!) in collaboration with one of my favorite doing good sites:  Donor's Choose!

Donor's Choose is a site that allows regular folk; like you and I, to get a glimpse inside some amazing classrooms and reach out to help fund projects and programs that dedicated teachers want to complete but can't do so without financial support.  Donor's Choose has been one of our month's activities since we started our 12 months of Kindness project five years ago.  Last year, we donated to a classroom needing learning disability support for their morning meetings and the year before that was to a local school learning about our community's historic floods.

Warby Parker x Donor's Choose

Warby Parker has created a sweet little pair of shades that are educationally-inspired with an adorable 'school bus yellow' detail that will make you swoon.  For every pair of their Gardner Tortoise shell sunglasses purchased - not only can the buyer (or gift recipient) feel good about the standard buy-a-pair;give-a-pair program - but they will also receive $30 to donate towards the classroom project of their choice at Donor's Choose.

Yes - you read that correctly:

You buy the Gardner glasses for $95, someone in need of corrective eye wear also receives a pair of glasses AND you get $30 to donate towards a classroom project of your choice at Donor's Choose.  

That's double good, folks.  And with the Gardner glasses on your face, you make doing good look pretty dang cool.  I mean, seriously...my birthday is coming up (ahem, Brandon).

Doing double good is pretty awesome.  So awesome in fact that even the cool kids are doing it - and by cool, I mean funnygirl Mindy Kaling  - who I have a serious BFF-crush on.  (sidenote:  just caught a re-run of the Valentine's Day Mindy Project episode and couldn't stop giggling.  omi, I love everyone on that show).

Mindy is a fan of Donor's Choose because she likes that its helping without 'so much bureaucratic stuff between me and actually helping.'   So she teamed up with Warby Parker to promote their new collaboration with Donor's Choose and to help spread the word.

Charles Best (CEO & founder Donor's Choose) and Mindy Kaling (actress, comedy-writer)

And when I heard about the collaboration - that's exactly what I wanted to do as well - spread the word.  Because doing good does not have to be some big, huge gesture.  Doing good can be as simple as making consumer choices that you can be proud of.  If you already need sunglasses (or know someone with an upcoming birthday) - why not buy a quality, great-looking pair of shades that through your purchase you can also help others?

I am not receiving any kickbacks for this post from Warby Parker or Donor's Choose.  I just heard about the program and wanted to offer my small corner of the web as a highlight of the good things that are happening in the world.  Please check out the Warby Parker x Donors Choose details and use your consumer power to spread some love.