Lend a helping hand on your shore excursion with Holland America Line. These innovative programs take place all over the globe, like sailing Alaska’s Auke Bay to spot and record the behaviors of marine life.

Be a part of a social enterprise program that empowers local communities through ME to WE. With Uniworld, you can participate in a long-term development project before your journey through the Golden Triangle and the sacred Ganges River. In Ecuador, Contiki will take you deep into the Amazon rainforest to support sustainable development alongside local families.

For more than a decade, Crystal Cruises has invited guests to spend time volunteering on shore excursions — and it’s complimentary. Join philanthropic ventures such as feeding the elderly with Mercy Kitchen in Belize, helping to care for stray animals at the Samui Animal Shelter in Koh Samui, Thailand, and planting trees in Reykjavík, Iceland.

With Micato, every safari supports a child’s education. That’s the Micato One for One Commitment that sends hundreds of vulnerable children to boarding schools. You can direct additional funds to the School Sponsorship Programme and take time to visit Kenya’s Micato-AmericaShare Harambee Community Centre — a multipurpose space designed for education, recreation and community building among local youth.

A small space in your suitcase can make a big difference when you travel. Pack for a Purpose is a grassroots initiative that works with local schools, clinics and health centers, community development projects, and animal welfare programs. You simply choose from a list of supplies, deliver them to a partner hotel or tour operator in your destination, and know that the items you carried are going directly to those in need.

Sometimes, all it takes is a conscious decision to spend your money in the right places. G Adventures and its nonprofit arm, Planeterra, have established a number of programs to benefit marginalized communities. Meet members of a women’s weaving cooperative in the Ccaccaccollo community of Peru and bring home your own elegantly woven textiles. Use your travel dollars to support places like Café Ubuntu in Kenya, Berracas Restaurant in Colombia, and many more restaurants, shops and other social enterprises across the globe.