In 2010, Erin Michelson, a San Francisco-based business consultant, decided to take the money she’d saved to buy a house and embark on a humanitarian-driven solo trip around the world. Within three months, she’d sold her belongings, wrapped up her consulting contracts and hit the road, beginning her two-year journey in Fiji. Since then, the 44-year-old “adventure philanthropist” has visited a children's home in Sri Lanka, worked at a community kitchen for refugee women in Australia, and built a well in East Africa.

What inspired her to make such a life-changing decision?

"In general, I'm looking to live a more engaged existence. I'm happiest when I am helping others and exploring the world so I decided to put my two passions together and create this Adventure Philanthropist lifestyle of traveling and volunteering,” Erin told TheGrantwell via email from Finland. “I also know that very few people have the chance to travel for two years and so I felt compelled to grab a hold and make the most of this opportunity.”

As the founder of a successful philanthropic consulting practice, the Michelson Consulting Group (MCg), Erin is no stranger to the nonprofit world. She was also founder and past president of the New York-based nonprofit Alliance for Women's Equality (AWE), and has served as board member for several high-profile nonprofits.

Erin hopes to promote charitable giving and encourage others to volunteer by chronicling her experience on her website, GoErinGo.com.  On the site she offers travel tips, videos, and profiles of organizations and other like-minded "adventure philanthropists." She also gives advice on "living mini," a simple way of life that has allowed her to use her money for charity and travel instead of "stuff."

She says that many of the organizations she has worked with have been recommended to her by people she knows.

"Most of the places I volunteer with are referred to me by friends or travelers I meet while on the road. At this point I have friends in nearly every country I visit and so I simply ask them which are their favorite nonprofit organizations in their hometowns," said Erin, who sets foot in a new country about every 10 days.

"Readers on my website also contact me and invite me to visit them. These online invitations have sent me to Israel and the Philippines, and I now have several invitations to return to Thailand and Central America to work with organizations there. Last, I also keep an eye out for chances to volunteer while wandering about. For instance, I noticed a sign for a beach clean-up day in Borneo so I joined in and I saw a poster asking for English-language lessons while tooling around Luang Prabang, Laos."

Erin has also donated more than $25,000 of her own money to nonprofit organizations. Her "Donate My Dollars" campaign allows readers to her website to determine where the money is donated.

According to the website, as of July 10, 2012, the GoErinGo! Fund has awarded 57 grants, with the average grant amount being $485. So far $27,665 has been given, the majority (64%) of gifts given to Human Services organizations.

Erin, who will return home in early 2013 after hitting all seven continents, is working on a book about her adventures called The Adventure Philanthropist. For now you can read more about her inspiring journey on her website.