Make this St. Valentines day very special – forget the flowers and candy! There are so many great charities that make it easy to donate (even in the name of your significant other) in fun, creative, and romantic ways. You can help women with your generous gift! Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Room to Read – Because Female Literacy is NOT an Option. Give the priceless gift of education in the honor of your Valentine this February. Should you wish to send a card along with your donation, following your transaction you will be able to see options for sending a card via email or you can choose to print a PDF card yourself which you can personalize.
2. Support the United Nations World Food Programme to help a mother feed her child. Create an interactive card for your loved one on the U.N. World Food Programme’s Wall Against Hunger. When you click on the link, you will find a flash Wall of photos uploaded by supporters of the World Food Programme’s mission: delivering the world from hunger. Feed a child in honour of someone you love. Put their photo on the Wall – then send them an original email greeting. Get started here.
3. Sponsor a Women for Women International female survivors of war. Your Valentine will receive a a handmade card made by a woman in their program in Rwanda.
4. Don’t forget our planet, the mother of everything, by donating to Sierra Club to support wilderness areas like the Giant Sequoia National Monument, Grand Canyon National Park, Everglades National Park and the Arctic National Refuge.
5. Buy a real gift on behalf of your Valentine for women and children in need through Oxfam America Unwrapped and fund virtual gifts like a pair of school uniforms for $20, or planting 50 trees for $30.
6. Give to GlobalGiving’s “Mom Knows Best” projects like Education for 900 Rural Girls in Burkina Faso or Fast Tracking Education for Women and Older Girls in Afghanistan in the honor of your Valentine.
7. Purchase a Kiva.org gift certificate so your Valentine can choose a woman entrepreneur to whom she would like to give a loan.

Still looking for ideas? Habitat for Humanity in Charlotte, North Carolina, is offering to send your sweetheart a beautiful card with a donation given in his or her name. You can still order them here! Can you believe that you both can get fresh roses just for donating blood? American Red Cross is holding a promotion to trade clean blood for red roses – your blood can save the lives of women and children… find out more here. If all else fails, and you don’t think your Valentine will dig the above charities, you can buy a Good Card here, and your sweetheart will be able to donate to the charity of his or her choice.

Happy St. Valentine’s Day!