From a Basketball Court & Urban Farming to Lending Libraries, Street Dogs & Scholarships

Nomad Life 💕 Local Philanthropy

Aug 06, 2026

As I travel, one of my favorite activities is making micro donations (under $100) to local community organizations. This isn’t planned giving, just a bit of cash to help support a specific need.

For instance, when passing by a street dog sanctuary, I’ll pop in to donate. Or noticing that a Free Little Library has empty shelves, I’ll detour to a local bookstore and buy an armful of books to fill it up.

Simple, easy acts of kindness to help give back to the communities that so generously host us as we travel the world.

💗 Supporting Our Nomad Life Community

In addition to giving to my host countries, I also like to honor and highlight our community members’ activities too, like:

Linda Jackson 🌏 in Malekula, Vanuatu

In her post, Engagement or Spectacle? It’s a Fine Line for Travelers, Linda discusses the conflict many of us travelers struggle with as we seek authentic engagement over tour companies promoting cultural reenactments. She also notes the good work of her friend Marie Kato Evans, who runs a community center on the island of Malekula in Vanuatu.

Organization: Action Aid Vanuatu
Nomad Life Donation: $72 on July 15, 2026, to sponsor scholarships for 3 children to attend school

🌍 Stina Gustafsson in Lomé, Togo

Earlier this summer, Stina spent a month volunteering as a nurse in Lomé, Togo. She writes about this experience in her article: The Privilege of Choosing Difficulties. Upon returning home to Sweden, she set up a GoFundMe campaign to support the orphaned children she met while providing care.

Campaign: Let’s build a basketball court for Maison Bethanie orphanage
Organization: Maison Bethanie orphanage
Nomad Life Donation: $26 on June 5, 2026, to help build a basketball court for local children

🌍 Me, Erin, in Bansko, Bulgaria

In my post, After School Tutoring for Children at Risk, I highlight a Bulgarian nonprofit organization that runs a mobile learning and care center for children and teenagers deprived of family and parental care. The organization is a member of the National Network for Children and is licensed by Bulgaria’s State agency for child protection.

Campaign: After School Programs from Children at Risk
Organization: ReachOut.BG
Nomad Life Donation: $44 on June 23, 2026, to cover a tutor’s fee for 2 classes

🧧 More Micro Donations

These tiny donations give me the most joy! As I wander around villages and towns, I keep my eyes open for these opportunities to make a small contribution.

Organization: Bansko Street Dogs
Nomad Life Donation: $23 on July 18, 2026, to support the neuter and care of street dogs

Organization: Divine Greens Micro Greens
Nomad Life Donation: $14 on June 28, 2026, to teach kindergarteners about healthy food and the environment

photo credit: Divine Greens Micro Greens

Organization: Little Free Libraries
Nomad Life Donation: $50.00 spent on June 24, 2026, at a local bookstore to buy 6 children’s books for Bansko’s Little Free Library

🌏 Making a difference in our world

I’m so excited to share our Nomad Life philanthropic program with you. I hope you’ll follow along and maybe even help shape where the giving goes.

Know a local organization worthy of support? Send it my way.

Nominate Your Favorite Nonprofit

The world has welcomed me with open arms, and it is my turn to return that generosity. 🫶

Note: Donations are made in the name of our Nomad Life community, but funded by me personally. I’m not asking you for money — just your enthusiasm and your ideas.

💕 Read More About Nomad Life Global Philanthropy

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