4 Ways to Use Rewards Points to Donate to Racial Justice Causes

Protests across the globe are calling for an end to police brutality and systemic racism. As the Black Lives Matter movement continues marching and working toward policy changes, organizers will need sustained support. If you’re looking for more ways to take action, you can financially support organizations fighting racial injustice—whether it be Black Lives Matter or another local group—with the rewards points that you gather from shopping. 

While using your credit card or trading in shopper loyalty points won’t dismantle racism alone, making a donation (especially as protests garner less attention over time) will help the organizations doing the work and support those to continue pushing forward. Here are four ways to take your points and donate them to racial justice causes.

Love shopping for beauty products at Sephora? Instead of cashing in for more mini lipsticks or blush sets, loyal Sephora shoppers can exchange their points for money that Sephora will give to a charity. For every 500 points, Sephora will donate $10 to the featured charity through their Charity Rewards program.

In early June, all donated points went to the National Black Justice Coalition, a nonprofit civil rights organization that fights race-related employer discrimination, as well as works toward criminal justice reform and better healthcare within Black communities. Later in the month, points went to the National CARES Mentoring Movement, which provides Black children living in poverty and in disinvested communities and schools the social, emotional, and academic support they need to graduate from high school. 

Amex cardholders who are enrolled in U.S. Membership Rewards can take their points and turn them into donations through the JustGiving fundraising platform. With over 1.5 million U.S. nonprofits on the platform, users can choose from fundraisers that support all types of organizations doing work to fund education, the local community, international aid, and more. 

Adding to the company’s contribution, American Express donated $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the National Urban League. They also extended gift matching for employees to these and other social justice organizations.

With COVID-19 canceling a lot of summer vacation plans, you can use your Hilton points for social good instead of booking more trips. Through a partnership with the online charity platform PointWorthy, Hilton rewards can be used to give to both national organizations like the Black Lives Matter Foundation and local ones like the Minnesota Freedom Fund and the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund.

If your credit card does cash back, another way to donate is to take the sum that you get back from your purchases and donate it directly to organizations of your choice. Each month, or more regularly, check your account and make it a point to send those funds to a racial justice cause.