The Gift of Charity

The act of giving a gift comes from a place of love and appreciation. And, in that spirit, many people choose to give to charities at Christmas. Someone recently asked me if there are any charities which specifically promote naturopathic medicine. The following are a few suggestions I provided – all registered charities, which you can have confidence in knowing exactly how your money will be used.

The Canadian Naturopathic Foundation (CNF)
“The Canadian Naturopathic Foundation (CNF) is a charitable organization that provides research grants and educational support for naturopathic medicine in Canada.” The current initiative of this foundation is to fund a research study which would investigate the cost effectiveness of naturopathic medicine. This research could have a major impact on how insurance companies, health organizations, and the government views naturopathic medicine.

The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM)
“To drive CCNM in its pursuit of excellence in naturopathic medicine, the College strives toward the following five goals: excellence in education; providing high-quality naturopathic clinical care; fostering a culture of research; building a prominent national profile; and cultivating positive change in our health, our environment and our health-care system through the promotion of the principles and practices of naturopathic medicine.” CCNM is one of the leaders in the research of natural medicine and the college provides excellent training for the naturopathic doctors of tomorrow.

Naturopaths Without Borders
“Naturopaths Without Borders (NWB) is a non-profit, student-run organization founded at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. NWB prepares Naturopathic students and physicians to provide medical services to these communities through foreign language and cultural training on medical missions. NWB operates locally with educational projects at Hamilton Elementary School and South East Facility Juvenile Detention Center in Mesa, Arizona. Internationally, NWB partners with Mar de Jade (www.mardejade.com), Natural Doctors International (www.naturaldoctorsinternational.org), and the Guatemala Acupuncture Project (www.guamap.org).”

So if you have decided to donate to charity this holiday season and you or a loved one have positively benefited from naturopathic medicine, I encourage you to consider the above organizations. I know each of them would greatly appreciate your gift.

What are your favourite charities to give to?