All things being equal. They are not. —The (RED) Manifesto
offManhattan is breaking the rules of travel-only articles this month to bring attention to an issue that’s near and dear. The RED Campaign, created by Bobby Shriver and Bono, and fostered by celebrities such as Oprah, is celebrating the $50 million contribution mark with a new product in 2008. Words can only do so much. It is our actions that the people dying of AIDS in Africa need most.
To help fight AIDS, send a Hallmark e-card or put a recycled 20% post-consumer fiber card in the mail, brighten someone’s day, and make a difference. 8% of Hallmark (PRODUCT) RED net wholesale sales will go to the Global Fund. Cards start at $1.49, and echo the messages found on the campaign’s Gap t-shirts: inspi(RED), sha(RED). Some cards make sounds, while others can imprint a card with a photo of your choice.
Check out www.joinred.com to see other products like ipods, watches, and clothing. You can even calculate your personal (RED) impact.
What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Visit these off Manhattan stores to pick up your cards:
Brooklyn, NY: Hallmark Gold Crown (172 Montague St., 718.625.7000)
New Jersey: Meadows Cards & Gifts, Harmon Meadow Plaza (700 Plaza Dr., Secaucus, 201.864.7677)
(Or a Manhattan store near you)
The co-founder and editor-at-large at offMetro, Lauren is a sustainable travel specialist and freelance journalist with frequent bylines in National Geographic, Bicycling Magazine and Shape. Follow Lauren’s adventures at @laurenmati.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram