You may’ve heard, there’s a global, virtual baby shower taking place for HRH The Duchess of Sussex right now. Some fans came up with this brilliant idea where, instead of buying Meghan Markle a present (which, tbh, she’d probably never receive anyway), you donate to some of her favourite charities.
So, want to get involved with #globalsussexbabyshower but don’t exactly know where to start? We’ve checked out all the charities recommended by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (plus a few extras the royal couple has supported in the past) so you can better understand the work they do. From sending girls to school in Africa to providing kids in poverty with nappies, clothes, books and food – they’re all amazing causes!
BABY2BABY
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With a number of famous board members including Nicole Richie, Jessica Alba, Rachel Zoe and Julie Bowen, it’s no surprise this is a favourite charity among Hollywood celebs who are always looking to give back.
Baby2Baby is based in L-A (where mum-to-be Meghan is from) and provides basic necessities (clothes, nappies, toiletries) to kids living in poverty across America.
In the last 7 years, the organisation has distributed over 50 million items to children in homeless shelters, domestic violence programs, foster care and hospitals. They’ve also helped out kids who’ve lost everything in natural disasters.
THE LUNCHBOX FUND
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Since 2004, The Lunchbox Fund has provided a whopping 14.4 million meals to children in need!
What started off as a project to feed 100 children at a high school in Soweto back in 2005, has turned into a major charity feeding 27,000 kids across South Africa every day! The Lunchbox Fund is all about offering free, nutritious meals (like hot porridge or vegetable biryani), as an incentive to keep kids in school.
Right now, less than 50% of children who start school in South Africa make it through to Year 12. Those who miss out on an education are more likely to end up unemployed and living below the poverty line. By keeping them in school, they significantly improve their chances of earning a livelihood, providing for their families, giving back to their communities and being healthier overall.
For context, skipping your morning coffee in Sydney for two weeks straight and donating the coins would be the equivalent of providing one student with meals for an entire school year!
Since its inception, The Lunchbox Fund has provided over 14 million meals to kids in need.
LITTLE VILLAGE HQ
We all know it takes a village to raise a child, and well, here it is, the village!
They’re like a foodbank but instead of food, they collect new and pre-loved clothes and toys for families in need and distribute them across London. The families who benefit may be homeless, unemployed or survivors of domestic violence. Nearly half of them are single-parent families and 1 in 8 are refugees or asylum seekers.
In their first 2 years of operation, Little Village HQ responded to over 2300 requests for help and they won’t be stopping anytime soon!
WELL CHILD
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This is one of Prince Harry’s favourite charities. He’s been a patron for Well Child for more than a decade. The organisation’s main mission is to see kids and teens with serious illnesses cared for at home instead of spending months and sometimes years in hospital.
They’re kind of like the Queer Eye gang – these magic makeover masters who fix up bedrooms and gardens to suit kids with special needs. Plus, they provide in-home carers, nurses and other quality medical professionals. AND they fund a number of projects and research related to children with long-term, complex health needs.
Right now, there are more than 100 thousand kids and teens who are seriously ill or have exceptional health needs across the UK who can benefit from Well Child’s work.
OTHER CHARITIES
While The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have requested donations to the above charities, below we’ve listed the charities suggested by their loyal fans who came up with the global baby shower idea:
There’s Camfed, a non-profit which focuses on sending girls to school to tackle poverty and inequality. Right now there are more than 52 million girls who don’t go to school in sub-Saharan Africa. They are more likely to face early marriage, early pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. But when they have access to education, they’re more likely to marry later, be healthier, have healthier children, resist gender-based violence and discrimination.
The Mayhew, an animal welfare charity that rescues abandoned cats and dogs and helps find them new homes. Last year alone, they managed to re-home 380 cats and 98 dogs and handled over one thousand animal welfare cases.
Sentebale is the charity Prince Harry started after his gap year to Lesotho in 2004 to support kids affected by HIV.
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And One25 in Bristol where the Duke and Duchess recently stopped by to help pack food parcels for women overcoming addiction and breaking free from street sex work. (Yes, that place where Meghan wrote kind messages on the bananas!)
So, which one will you be supporting? Tell us below!