I had an opportunity to speak with Rebecca Rothney, founder of a very worthwhile, all volunteer organization called Pack for a Purpose . She is passionate about enabling travelers to make a difference in the countries they are visiting. By partnering with hotels and travel agencies around the world who support local charities and schools, they make it easy for us to provide desperately needed supplies and donations.
For example, if you are planning a trip to Peru with Aqua Expeditions, you will find that they are supporting the Community First Aid Center which serves over 14 communities along the Amazon River. They currently need aspirin, band aids, gauze, antibacterial ointments, pain killers, anti diarrhea medication, antihistamines, latex gloves, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. Easy enough! They give you advice on how to pack them, and you simply drop it off at the front desk when you arrive.
So as you are planning your next trip, please check their website first to see if your hotel or destination is on their list. If not, consider printing a copy of their card and bringing it to the hotels you have booked and let them know about this worthy endeavor.