The holidays are here, which means it’s officially “add to cart” season! While you’re picking out gifts for family, friends, and maybe a little something for yourself, you can also help make a difference for the American Legion Auxiliary just by shopping.

We’re so excited to share that ALA National Headquarters has partnered with SmileAssociate, giving members, supporters, and friends an easy way to give back while shopping on Amazon. When you start your shopping at smileassociate.com/alahq, Amazon donates 1.5% of your eligible purchases to the Spirit of Youth Scholarship Fund at no extra cost to you. Same shopping, same prices, same Prime perks — but now every gift you buy helps support scholarships for deserving students.

This partnership also supports Auxiliary National President Pam Ray’s fundraising focus on the Spirit of Youth Scholarship Fund, which helps young people with strong academics, leadership, and community service pursue higher education. Every time you shop through SmileAssociate, you’re helping open doors for future leaders — and that’s a pretty incredible gift to give this season.

SmileAssociate makes it simple. There’s no extra login or special setup. Just click, shop, and give. Nonprofits receive quarterly donations with full performance reports, so every contribution is tracked and transparent. And the best part? Donations happen year-round, so your support continues long after the holidays are over.

If you loved AmazonSmile, this will feel familiar — but it’s even better. SmileAssociate triples the impact, giving 1.5% back compared to AmazonSmile’s 0.5%. That means more support for the ALA and more opportunities for students.

So while you’re sipping cocoa, wrapping presents, and hunting for that perfect gift, start your shopping at smileassociate.com/alahq. You can even scan the QR code to make it easy to shop right from your phone.

This holiday season, let’s shop with purpose and help the ALA invest in the next generation through the Spirit of Youth Scholarship Fund. Every purchase makes a difference, and that’s something to celebrate.


By Maggie Smith