The holiday season is a time for giving, which is why many of us start thinking about making charitable donations. But after spending a small fortune on gifts for our families and loved ones, sometimes there isn’t a lot of cash left for our favourite charities. Did you know there’s a way to make a charitable donation without breaking the bank? This is where Aeroplan comes to the rescue.

The Aeroplan Member Donation Program allows you to donate your miles to Canadian not-for-profit organizations – with hundreds to choose from –that are dedicated to improving lives and enriching communities at home and around the world. For example, eco lovers can choose David Suzuki Foundation, the musically minded can opt for MusiCounts, animal fans can donate to Veterinarians Without Borders and those concerned about HIV and AIDS in Africa can donate to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Since its launch in 2006, the Aeroplan Member Donation Program has donated over 1.1 billion miles to Canadian charities. Donated miles are used to offset air-travel, accommodation and car-rental costs for hardworking volunteers and families with travel needs. They can also be used as coveted prizes in fundraising campaigns or exchanged for on-the-ground tools such as laptops.

With one in five Canadians donating to charities online, Aeroplan makes it easy to participate. Members can make a one-time donation or they can donate multiple times throughout the year via their online account. Easy-peasy!

From December 2 to 8, Aeroplan is matching all miles donations to Air Canada Foundation for use toward its Hospital Transportation Program, which helps children like Beckett reach the medical care they need away from home. How’s that for holiday spirit? For more information about the program, please visit aeroplan.com/donate.