Dads are notoriously hard to buy gifts for, which can make Father’s Day a shopping conundrum. But a gift that gives back is a twofer in thoughtfulness — your dad gets something he might not have ever bought for himself and a good cause gets a donation. So we went in search of the best presents with a charitable component so you can do some good while celebrating the man who taught you the important things, like how to flip a pancake or catch a fish.
Almost all of the philanthropic gifts below are from Strategist-approved brands we’ve written about before. However, since many of them aren’t available at big-box retailers, they may not arrive in time for Father’s Day on June 18. We’ve noted cutoff dates and expedited-shipping options where applicable — and, of course, you can always give Dad a thoughtful card in the meantime. But if you’re really in a rush, check out our directory of every Father’s Day gift guide on the site to find something that will ship ASAP.
Shoemaker Reef recently released a collection called The Beach Loves All. The limited-edition sandals feature artwork from LGBTQ+-identifying artists Nanna de Jong, Momo Hudes, and Kelly Duffy, with $10 from the sale of each pair donated to PFLAG.
Bearaby, makers of Strategist-approved weighted blankets, designed a limited-edition version in honor of World Oceans Day — hence the Ceylon-blue yarn. All proceeds from the blanket benefit rePurpose Global, an organization focused on solving plastic pollution.
Socks aren’t the most inventive gift, but they are among the most useful. Give your dad these exercise-efficient ones designed with cushioning and ventilation to minimize the chances of discomfort (or a case of athlete’s foot). And for every pair sold, the brand donates a pair to someone experiencing homelessness.
[Editor’s note: Order before midnight on June 13 with two-day shipping to get these before Father’s Day.]
Or go with these gym socks. Every purchase on Social Goods funds a donation to a different cause. These benefit the New York City Liberties Union (NYCLU), which is a branch of the ACLU.
After Peter Hunsinger, a former Condé Nast executive, got these kicks, he was constantly asked, “Where did you get those?” They were made in collaboration with Pantone and come in a rainbow’s worth of colors. “The partnership gives them a special provenance,” Hunsinger adds. Plus, Cariuma plants two trees for every pair of shoes it sells.
He won’t mistake the Parks Project’s trippy, Grateful Dead–esque, frog-printed camp chair for anyone else’s at the park or around a firepit. And as a bonus: The organization works toward preserving parklands through volunteering and education.
The Chinatown Collection from Pearl River Mart gives back 100 percent of its profits to Chinatown businesses (in collaboration with the nonprofit Welcome to Chinatown). This set is a nod to the drinks at Fong On, the oldest family-run tofu shop in New York City.
Ember’s self-heating mug has frequently been seen on the Strategist. It’s even available in a portable travel-mug style, where you can tell the temperature of what’s inside from the outside (it’s displayed in an alarm-clock-like font). When the travel mug is purchased in red, 3 percent of the price goes to Project Red’s Global Fund, which supports programs working to end epidemics like AIDS.
[Editor’s note: Depending on your Zip Code, you might receive this before Father’s Day with free shipping.]
Here’s a preppy pick: a branded water bottle featuring Ralph Lauren’s famed horse-riding polo player. It was made in partnership with GiveMeTap, with $2 from each one sold donated to installing water pumps in rural Ghana.
Any cheese enthusiast will like this box — which features Parmesan herb cheese and beef-and-garlic summer sausage that would pair nicely on any charcuterie board. It’s part of the Smile Farms collection, with 20 percent of proceeds benefiting the namesake nonprofit, which creates work opportunities in the agricultural industry for those with disabilities.
This Louisiana-style hot sauce is from the National Network of Abortion Funds’s online storefront, supporting the organization’s efforts — but you could also shop from several local abortion funds on the same site to provide critical medical care to those who need it near you.
Material’s cutting board counts Strategist kitchen-and-dining writer Emma Wartzman and food stylist Judy Kim as fans. “The texture of it is probably the most important feature,” Kim says. “Some other plastic ones are so sleek and so smooth, you can feel your knife slip sometimes, even just a little bit.” Half of the proceeds from this taupe “To Pó-Po with Love” shade are donated to Heart of Dinner, which delivers meals to Asian American elders in underserved communities.
Though ties are ubiquitous on Father’s Day, this one supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s efforts to cure childhood cancer. It’s understated (and will be work-appropriate) with a pattern that includes polka dots and the hospital’s logo.
The dad who’s a scent snob will be delighted by California-based Flamingo Estate’s farm-fresh smells (its heirloom-tomato candle is a highlight). This candle (which was recently featured in our guide to gifts that give back for moms) has notes of musk, green leaves, and honeyed blossoms. The full $65 purchase price is promised to the People Concern, a social-services nonprofit in Los Angeles.
You can add a little luxury to his grooming routine with this Caswell-Massey aftershave. Inspired by one of the company’s perfumes, it’s scented with anise and amber and has a cooling menthol base. It’s also part of a floral-themed collaboration between the 270-year-old bespoke soap-maker and the New York Botanical Garden, with a portion of all profits funding the garden’s plant-conservation and research work.
And Caswell-Massey’s Yellowstone collection takes inspiration from the florals found around the park — with scents named Old Faithful, Canyon, Lake, Tower Fall, and Mammoth Hot Springs. Every purchase from the line benefits preservation organization Yellowstone Forever, including this fragrance tonic with notes of sagebrush, larkspur, tree moss, pine smoke, and patchouli.
Brandon Taylor’s second novel made our sister site Vulture’s list of must-read books coming out this summer. Not to get too spoiler-y, but apparently there’s a “final, cacophonous convergence in a rented cabin,” according to critic Celia Mattison. If you buy it from Bookshop, you can choose to give the sale to a local bookstore or contribute to an earnings pool that’s distributed among independent bookstores.
“I might not resemble David Hockney’s Beverly Hills Housewife,” says publicist Linlee Allen-Homs, “but when I’m wearing this robe, standing in my 90210 garden, morning coffee in hand, I surely feel like one.” If he’s into bold prints, it’ll be his summer go-to. (Note the unisex size chart.) Block Shop invests 5 percent of its profits in local NGOs in India and L.A. that provide health-care-related resources.
Back in 2016, Everlane launched its 100% Human Collection — this tee is one of the latest additions, made from the same cotton as the company’s signature crews — with 10 percent of profits from each item in the capsule donated to the ACLU.
For its Pride collection this year, Cos collaborated with four queer clubs from around the world on a T-shirt capsule. This version was created with Barcelona’s Churros con Chocolate (whose logo is on the front). All profits from the tees will be donated to LGBTQIA+ charities, including Not a Phase, Margate Pride, Observatori Contra l’Homofòbia, London Friend, and the Kaleidoscope Trust.
Streetwear label Krost’s latest line supports Eden Reforestation Projects, which plants trees in places like Madagascar and Mozambique. That includes these mesh basketball shorts patterned with mushrooms.
As part of Ralph Lauren’s “Pink Pony” campaign, 25 percent of the purchase price of this fleece — when customized with one of the brand’s blush-colored logos — will go to a network of cancer charities around the world. You can also choose between a crewneck and a hoodie, and you can print up to ten characters on the back.
Whether he’s a beginner birder who just watches pigeons at the park or a more experienced one who can tell a bluebird from a blue jay, he’ll like this goldfinch-printed sweatshirt that supports the National Audubon Society’s conservation work.
For the month of June, White + Warren will be donating $20 from every full-price purchase of its cashmere travel wrap to the Phluid Phoundation, a nonprofit supporting homeless queer youth. The wrap can also be worn as a scarf, Lenny Kravitz–style.
If he spends a lot of time in the woods, a LifeStraw — the Sharpie-size device that filters bacteria and parasites out of water from any source — is especially useful. (Just dip the end in and drink.) For every one sold, LifeStraw will donate safe drinking water to a child in Kenya for a school year.
[Editor’s note: This can arrive before Father’s Day with Prime shipping.]
British artist Luke Edward Hall’s work could meet the design-minded dad’s standards. The coffee-table book — published late last year — has photos from the interiors of Hall’s Cotswolds cottage and London apartment. And like his now sold-out Greek-vase-emblazoned sweatshirt (which was part of a Rowing Blazers collaboration we previously featured on the site), a portion of the book’s proceeds will benefit the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the American Classical League’s Committee for Latin and Greek.
For the art-collecting dad, turn to Summertime Gallery, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that provides studio space, materials, and mentorship to neurodivergent artists. Paige Wery, director of Tierra del Sol Gallery in Los Angeles, highly recommends Summertime’s postcard subscription as “the perfect way to say hello to loved ones and learn about an artist you might not have known.” Every month, Dad will get a new postcard with proceeds benefiting both the artist and Summertime.
Profits from the Whitney Shop support the museum’s research and conservation efforts. The shop is full of hidden gems, like this salt-and-pepper-shaker set that’s made from Limoges porcelain and modeled after Andy Warhol’s famous soup cans.
The Tenement Museum is a New York City institution that showcases immigration stories. Unfortunately, the museum had its budget cut big-time in 2020, but its excellent gift shop helps continue to fund its mission. This poster is a tribute to the City That Never Sleeps (and its other nicknames).
For a donation of $2 per tree, the Nebraska-based Arbor Day Foundation will plant a minimum of 25 trees in Dad’s honor (and you can put “Father’s Day” on a printed celebration certificate so he never forgets). You can choose which forest in need — like the Chippewa in Minnesota — will get the trees, too.
[Editor’s note: You can download a copy of the certificate to print out and gift.]
Each of the ten blends in this tea sampler is inspired by a national park, and 10 percent of the proceeds are donated right back to the parks system. “Yellowstone” has notes of blue cornflower, prickly pear, and bergamot. “Shenandoah” features lemon, ginger, and an elderberry finish. And “Yosemite” brews a cup with flavors of spearmint, pineapple, and marigold petals.
The Getty Museum Store rivals the MoMa Design Store in unexpected delightfulness — and purchases from the shop support the museum’s many educational programs. This olive oil is made in a Puglia mill and has flavors of almond and artichoke, plus it comes in a splatter-esque, hand-painted ceramic jug.
It’s a corkscrew and verifiable objet d’art in one. When you buy this corkscrew from Olivela, you can choose between a number of cause partners — 20 percent of the proceeds from every purchase on the site go to one of those organizations, including Save the Children (which helps children all over the world) and CARE (to fund education for girls).
Replace his collection of cords with this minimalist charger (which is also available at Olivela). It can power up to two Qi-certified devices at once (read: the newest iPhone and AirPods in their case).
Airliner Southwest has a repurposing program devoted to upcycling its planes’ seat covers to turn them into new products. The program partners with nonprofits to provide skills training and employment opportunities; one of those nonprofits is Unshattered, which helps women in recovery. This handsome toiletry bag is part of the collaboration.
Turn to the Smithsonian Store for the history-obsessed dad. All the revenue from the shop directly supports new exhibitions, public programs, and outreach initiatives across the institution’s museums. This throwback Boeing-logo duffel bag would work for the jet-setter (or aerophile) in your life.
If he can always find a use for another tote, this artsy one supports the Creative Coalition, an organization that advocates for arts education in schools.
If he’s more of a radiohead, this Tiny Desk Concert mug helps make the beloved NPR series possible by funding public-radio programming. And while you’re at it: An NPR Coffee Club subscription could be a much-appreciated accompaniment.
To further champion media that relies on “viewers like you,” we suggest browsing ShopPBS. This turntable supports the broadcaster’s public TV programming. This is a take on the record-player purveyor’s Cruiser, but with bigger built-in speakers.
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