Giving Back
Reusable Bag Credit Donation Program
From January 2026 to April 2026, we will be collecting wooden tokens, representing each “refund dime,” to support the critical work of these nonprofit organizations:
Animal Outlook
www.animaloutlook.org
Animal Outlook’s mission is to strategically challenge animal agribusiness through undercover investigations, legal advocacy, corporate and food system reform, and disseminating information about the many harms of animal agriculture, empowering everyone to choose vegan.
Each year, their groundbreaking investigations reveal truth to consumers and spark change through innovative legal advocacy that brings justice for animals, and inspire thousands to make compassionate choices.
Their newest initiative, the Farm Transitions Program, aims to provide farmers with a comprehensive, sustainable, and holistic approach to exiting animal agriculture and entering into a profitable plant-based alternative in the most climate friendly manner available. Standing united, they are changing the world for animals, people and planet.
Free Minds Book Club
www.freemindsbookclub.org
In honor of the one year anniversary of our Roots Little Free Libraries, we’ll be collecting donations for Free Minds, an organization offering book clubs and writing workshops at the DC jail and juvenile detention center. Free Minds also runs a long-distance, correspondence-based book club with members in the federal prison. When members return to DC after their release, they join the reentry book club.
Participation in the reentry book club includes reentry support with job training, placement services, peer mentoring, advocacy and leadership development opportunities, and referrals to other services in the community that will help them to achieve their new educational and career goals.
Free Minds envisions a DC where Black and Latinx communities have abundant access to resources for healing, growth, creative expression, love, and connection.
Baltimore Tree Trust
www.baltimoretreetrust.org
Baltimore Tree Trust works to address tree inequality and climate change effects across Baltimore City, neighborhood by neighborhood. Urban forests provide vital benefits to Baltimore communities: cleaner air through pollution filtration, reduced urban heat, improved stormwater management, healthier communities, and higher property values. Planting and caring for trees in low-canopy areas fosters community by creating healthy, green urban spaces for all residents.
The Baltimore Tree Trust began as a grassroots venture and has since grown into a citywide initiative dedicated to expanding Baltimore’s urban tree canopy. Proudly led by leaders of diverse backgrounds and experiences, Baltimore Tree Trust has been guided by the singular vision that all Baltimore neighbors deserve access to the clean air and cool green spaces that trees can provide. The goal is to bring Baltimore’s tree canopy cover—the part of a city shaded by trees—to 40 percent, the current research goal for healthy cities. Recent measures of Baltimore’s existing canopy cover are currently at 27.4 percent.
Every “dime” will be counted and donated to the charities, all made possible by your generosity.
Beginning in May 2026, we will collect for three new organizations.
It’s completely up to you whether you’d like to keep your reusable bag refund or donate it to charity.
Be on the lookout for our charity collection bins, and think about giving back!
Results of our previous donations:
Results for August - December 2025
- Farm Sanctuary: $868.81
- Farmworker Justice: $738.06
- Maryland Forestry Foundation: $586.37
October 2025 (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) Totals include Roots Match!
- Little Pink Houses $520.68
- HopeWell Cancer Support $635.88
- African Women’s Cancer Awareness Association $544.86
April - July 2025:
- Natural Resources Defense Council: $487.53
- Safe Haven Baltimore: $611.61
- Animal Legal Defense Fund: $624.04
October 2024 - March 2025
- World Central Kitchen: $1,028.58
- Love Paws (Rockville): $1,007.41
- Chesapeake Climate Action Network: $748.92
April 2024 - September 2024
- Living Classrooms Foundation $880.00
- Small Miracles Cat & Dog Rescue $1,235.00
- Chesapeake Bay Foundation $1,045.00
November 2023 - April 2024
- Grassroots Crises Intervention (Howard County, MD): $930.00
- Animal Allies: $1,062.00
- Potomac Conservancy: $662.00
April 2023 - October 2023
- OXFAM: $1,063.00
- Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter: $1.405.00
- The Trevor Project: $965.00
October 2022 - April 2023
- MAEOE: $1,277.00
- Safe Haven Equine Warriors: $1,493.00
- Moveable Feast: $1,607.00
April 2022 - September 2022
- Small Angels Rescue: $1,463.00
- Black Veg Society: $1,460.00
- Bethesda Green: $1,035.00
September 2021 - March 2022
- Frisky's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center : $2,150.00
- Asylee Women Enterprise: $1,663.00
- Whitelock Community Farm: $1,548.00
February 2021 – August 2021
- Animal Outlook: $1,806.00
- Audubon Society of Central Maryland: $1,603.00
- Black Women Build: $2,036.00
August 2020 – January 2021
- Life with Pigs Animal Sanctuary: $3,499.62
- Baltimore Green Space: $3,042.61
- Maryland LGBT Chamber of Commerce: $2,626.62
July 2020 – Aug 2020
- Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary: $4,400.00
- Bikemore: $1,900.00
- FIRN: $3,400.00
- Black Visions Collective & Baltimore Action Legal Team: $1,900.00 each (Funds raised June - Aug)
Jan 2020 – July 2020
- Leashes End: $3,000
- Beyond Pesticides: $2,500
- Penn North Recovery Center: $2,500
August 2018 – Jan 2019
- ECO City Farms: $1,600.00
- The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights: $3,000.00
- Kitties & Pitties: $1, 700.00
February 2017 – July 2018
- Friends of Rabbits: $3,737.76
- Natural Resources Defense Council: $4,254.70
- Chilis on Wheels: $3,403.86
August 2017 – July 2018
- International Rescue Committee Silver Spring Chapter: $2,693.22
- Meals on Wheels of Central MD: $3,711.68
- Small Angels Rescue: $2,857.52
February 2017 – July 2017
- Frisky’s Wildlife & Primate Sanctuary & Rescue: $1,631.12
- ACLU-American Civil Liberties Union: $1,320.76
- Environment Maryland: $1,184.00
August 2016 – January 2017
- Orphan Wildlife Rescue: $970
- Moveable Feast: $652
- The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education: $654
February – July 2016
- Burleigh Manor: $1046.50
- Maryland Food Bank: $738.20
- Blue Water Baltimore: $973.00
August 2015 – January 2016:
- Humane League of MD: $458.00
- Martha’s Place: $353.20
- Hard Bargain Farm: $420.70
February – July 2015:
- Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary: $962.67
- Howard County Watershed Stewards Academy: $507.47
- Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center: $600.89