I am starting a new chapter with my own personal evolution — philanthropy. It has always been a thread in my journey; however, after having kids, I floated away from giving to doing diapers. Not a great exchange, right? So as I continue to evolve, I hope you will join this path in embracing philanthropy as an integral part of being a mom, a family person and a member of the global community.

Many people think if they can’t do something big, then it’s not worth doing anything at all. But nothing could be further from the truth. It doesn’t take much to begin an evolution for someone. Just a single step can launch a person and even a community in the right direction.

This week, my featured charity is Kiva. Even though I touched on it for the holidays, it really deserves its own entry.

Kiva gives loans to individuals who are working their way out of poverty. It allows them to work their way to a better life. I absolutely love love love Kiva. (Did I mention I LOVE Kiva?) I have been using the same initial $100 for four years. I’m able to pick a country I want to support and the individual or group of individuals I want to help out. I invest in a person. They pay me back. I invest in a person. They pay me back. I invest in a person. Well, you get the point.

I’ve made 22 loans and helped women in Peru, Bolivia, India, Nigeria, the United States, Columbia and Lebanon to name a few countries. You can literally help change a life with just $25. That’s it! That’s less than dinner with your hubby at Chili’s!

And you know your money is going directly to others. 100% of every dollar you lend on Kiva goes directly towards funding loans; Kiva does not take a cut. Furthermore, Kiva does not charge interest to its field partners, who administer the loans. So when you make a $25 loan, all of that money goes to the person or group of your choosing.

To learn more about Kiva or make a donation, click here.