With the holiday season already begun (as soon as the calendar hits the “ber” months, Christmas music begins to play everywhere), thoughts turn to gift-giving. Gifts are part and parcel of the holidays – we give to people we love or respect or admire, to let them know how much they matter to us. We spend time and money for them, picking out or creating something special.

But there is an important aspect to giving that we often overlook, and that is giving to people who need our help. These are people whom we do not know personally who are just as deserving of our love and respect and admiration – and especially, of our help.

Which is why I’m excited about The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s holiday program. The mechanics are simple: stamp your way to a notebook for yourself, and help an advocacy of your choice in the process. Coffee Bean will donate part of the proceeds to help the charity you select –and there are twelve to choose from, from adopting a seeding to help the environment with Haribon, to providing resources for the Autism Society of the Philippines, to giving indigenous children better education with the Cartwheel Foundation.

With twelve ways to help, we can make a difference.