Volunteer Archives – Brazils on Tour

While Addison and I were in Puerto Vallarta recently we were fortunate enough to volunteer at the Vallarta Food Bank for two months. We met some incredible people that truly loved and supported their community and made us feel welcome even though we were only temporary residents of Vallarta. Now, we’ve left Vallarta we are proud to say we’ll still be supporting from afar through our new initiative @ourpaperpromises.

We’ve created Our Paper Promises as a way to help travelers give back to the people and places that have given to them throughout their journeys.

In a nutshell, creators from all over the world will be able to submit their photos/art for sale as art prints on our website, we’ll print them, send them out all over the world, and will donate 25% to our nonprofit of the month.

Every month we’ll be supporting a different nonprofit to give them exposure and much-needed donations.

We hold a simple belief that together we have the ability to create a ripple effect of kindness and giving around the world and would love your help to it.

If you’d like to get involved you can submit your art for sale (you’ll receive a commission every time one of your pieces is sold), you can share this post to help us reach a larger audience, you can purchase a print when we launch or you could donate directly to Vallarta Food Bank, our first cause.

Vallarta, like many places around the world, is facing a crisis with lots of people out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To help the community, a food bank has been set up for the families in Puerto Vallarta and its surrounding areas. Without your support, feeding those in need becomes an even more challenging task.

A little does a long way with $130MXN or $6USD feeding a small family for a week.

If you’d like to get involved please DM us for more information or sign up to be a contributing creator on our website www.ourpaperpromises.com

If you’re excited to get back to traveling again, you’re not alone. The locals in the places you visit can’t wait for you to arrive. Bearing that in mind, your visits can help a place become even better when you find ways to give back during your travels.

Wondering how you can give back during your travels to help the communities you visit thrive again while caring for the environment? These 6 tips will give you a better travel experience while bettering the world.

Buy local goods

No travel experience would ever be complete without souvenirs. When you buy them, choose authentic crafts made by the locals. It helps support the very people that live there and makes their community stronger. Besides, nothing is more unique than gifts you can’t get at any chain souvenir shop.

Dine locally too

When you travel far from home, part of the experience in other lands revolves around the foods the locals eat. Try their cuisine, stopping at the family-owned restaurants, cafés, and street vendors when hunger strikes. Avoid going to big chains you might recognize from home. You can eat there any time, but when else can you get home-cooked cuisine in the country you’re visiting.

Choose local accommodations

Big hotel chains will survive the world as it is, but those local independently-owned hotels need business. With travel shut down for so long, they can’t wait to host you. While it might be smaller than what you’re used to, you get a chance to make friends with locals and be a part of their world. Plus, they will know all the inside tips about what to see and do that will make your experience unique and real.

Go green

If you do choose a local hotel, chances are it will be eco-friendly. But if you’re determined to stay in a larger chain, you can also reduce your carbon footprint by taking on a few green travel habits. Reuse your towels and sheets by selecting the card that comes with your room declining a change unless they become dirty. You should also bring a reusable water vessel to cut down on plastic waste.

Other ways to go green during travel are to use biodegradable or organic products that won’t cause damage to the environment. Don’t forget to bring your own shopping bags. Those canvas totes you use for grocery shopping are a great way to bring your souvenirs back from the local markets.

Look for ways to volunteer

Anywhere you go in the world, there is always a place in need of volunteers. Take a look before you book your adventure and find a way to help the locals. It could be a few hours or even a few days of your trip, but it will mean the world to the people you help and you’ll gain the kind of experience that will bring you fulfillment.

We’ve been volunteering at Vallarta Food Bank as Covid-19 takes hold of people’s livelihoods in Puerto Vallarta. Find out about the Vallarta Food Bank and how you can help here.

Submit your travel shots for sale to Our Paper Promises

Disclaimer: Our Paper Promises is our new initiative!

In a nutshell, creators from all over the world will be able to submit their photos/art for print. 20% will go to the creator and 25% to the nonprofit.

Every month we’ll be supporting a different nonprofit around the world to give them exposure and much-needed donations.

Our mission is to make Our Paper Promises a way for creators to give back and also make some money on the side to fund their journey.

Don’t stop traveling either. Tourism is essential for every economy and every one of them will benefit from our visits if we find the proper ways to give back during your travels you help the communities you visit to thrive.