Check out the charities to which you donate

[Cyrano]

During this month, I've seen more charitable-giving ads on TV than I ever remember seeing in past years.

From children's hospitals, to cancer donations, to save the animals causes, and many more, all of the ads are designed to bring tears to your eyes. They are all worthy causes. And the question is, "How much of your donation get's to what you're donating to?"

Cynics have told me that you're lucky if 10% of what you've donated makes it to the cause of your concern. The rest goes to salaries, advertising, and many other costs associated with charitable organizations, -- and, in too many cases, into the pockets of some who are profiting from your gift.

I donate what I can to Doctors Without Borders and The Southern Poverty Law Center. I've looked into both and found that most of what I can afford to give actually makes it to where it's intended.

In no way am I suggesting that the causes to which you're donating are scams. Yet, much may be going where you didn't intend it to go.

Years ago, Bernie Sanders outraged public opinion by suggesting that all of these charitable causes should be government funded, as they are in some European countries. He was right. Most people don't have the time or resources to check out where their donations are going. But, since the government doesn't do it, try to take a bit of time to check out if the major share of your donation is going where you want it to go.

[yellowdogintexas]

1. I tend to stay local.

United Methodist Justice Ministry which serves women in crisis situations (abusive partners) with no other recourse. Many are illegal. Because my own church established it, I know how it is structured and paid for.

My Amazon Smile donations go to Cave Research Foundation, and I know everything this group does. Mammoth Cave would not have 400+ miles documented without the volunteers of CRF

I shop at Greater Good and click their ad every day. They sell many products from women's cooperatives in developing nations and my purchases help fund literacy

[Polly Hennessey]

2. Mine go mostly to animal organizations. Ones I have

known over the years. The Foothill Rescue Group of the Sierras (they take in last chance dogs from shelters); Sierra Wildlife Rescue (they helped me with a male deer that got tangled in a hammock. I am forever grateful. No more hammocks on our property); Golden Retriever Rescue of Southern Nevada (I adopted my beloved Caleigh from them when I lived in Las Vegas. Again I am forever grateful). This year I also donated to the IFAW to help shelter animals in Ukraine.

[Disaffected]

13. Good on you!

Watch out for soccer and hockey nets as well - all sorts of critters can become entangled in them. Best to take them down when not in use.

[Hekate]

3. I highly recommend Direct Relief.org as well: Charity Navigator rates them at 100%

They work in 80 countries and all 50 states

[NowISeetheLight]

4. Charity Navigator

Is a great website.

[Cyrano]

10. YES. Thank you. I forgot to mention this in my OP.

Everyone should really check out charitynavigator.org. It's an excellent website where one can quickly look up a charity to see how it's rated.

[Maraya1969]

11. I always check here. But many charities just are not big enough to be ranked.

I'll tell you that the animals charities here in S Florida are not hurting for money. I volunteered at one and was shown the huge amount of food and blankets and other things that have been given. The manager told me she routinely gives some of the stuff to other, non-animal charities.

[cachukis]

5. I go to my local produce guy. He knows what I'm doing is

donations to local food banks. I buy 100 lb. bags of onions and potatoes and tomatoes and peppers and winter squash at a few of cents over his cost to cover his handling.
The food bank loves it as they never get fresh produce.
When frozen meat is on sale like at Thanksgiving, publix does turkeys at .49 a lb. I buy ten turkeys at a time. I look for deals.
Each year I give a card to my 5 kids telling them how much they gave to the food bank in lieu of presents.
Twenty years without a complaint.

[Delphinus]

9. I like this idea

Bravo! Thank you. 👏🏻

[Maraya1969]

12. That is fabulous! I volunteer for the local food bank here and they get a lot of

produce but I think it s because they get food from Publix, Walmart and Costco. We have to check through things in case there are some bad ones but I am impressed with what comes in here.

But now that I'm thinking of it I wonder if some of the other food banks get as much food as this one does. I'm thinking of one in another area of town that is pretty run down. Should go down and see if they have what this one does.

[ampm]

6. Not to be believed

I was donating locally now I'm finding out the one I was donating to used the funds to help themselves first. I'm done

[Turbineguy]

7. A lot of charities exist to counter the effects

of republican tax cuts. Especially the ones for Veterans.

[Cyrano]

8. Yep. Republicans tend to brag of their patriotism. But they consistently fuck America's veterans

The hypocrisy is maddening. But they've been doing it for as long as I can remember.

[femmedem]

14. I am the sole employee of a small nonprofit. Yes, much of our annual budget covers my salary. But ..

Last edited Fri Dec 30, 2022, 07:32 PM - Edit history (3)

But that doesn't mean that the donations aren't going to the cause you're donating to. In my case, I conduct research, design and publicize programs, create web and lecture materials, advocate for mission-related causes, apply for and administer the grants that cover the majority of our expenses, and, well, do most everything that our wonderful volunteers can't take on.

If my salary is a large percentage of our operating budget, it doesn't mean that I'm paid extravagantly. (I make less than 50k a year and frequently work nights and weekends.) Granted, I work at a cultural institution so we aren't spending money on feeding the poor, for example. But most nonprofits truly do need to raise substantial money for salaries, utilities, and offices in order to meet their mission, and that doesn't make them less worthy of donations.

[GoodRaisin]

15. Since most of them ask for $19 a month, probably about

$1.90 cents? Seems that if you want to make sure the money you donate money to St. Jude actually goes to St. Jude the thing to do is send it to St. Jude.