With so many worthy causes out there, how do you choose a charity deserving of your support? While we all want to help people who are in need, we can’t very well give to every charity organization that is looking for donations. By reflecting on the things that are truly close to your heart and doing research,you can better choose the right charity for your money or non-monetary donations.
Dig Deep
It’s time to get self-reflective. Consider your values and beliefs. Is there any one charity that is close to your heart? If you are an animal lover, do you want your money going to sponsor animals up for adoption or maybe to help pay the vet bill of an animal whose owners can’t afford its treatment? Do you know a breast cancer survivor who inspired you to support this cause? Almost everyone will have a cause that is more close to their heart than others. Once you narrow down your interests, you can choose a couple organizations that deal in that area.
Get the Info
Once you narrow it down, it’s important to gather as much information as you can. While most charities offer promotional literature that will explain their organization to you, often times it doesn’t give you all the information. Take some time to research what the organization actually does. If the money goes to help the children, how does it help them? Do they filter it into after school programs or to provide meals to underprivileged families? Do they build playgrounds or provide free child care to needy families? There are many reports that are accessible to the public, including meeting minutes,activities of the organization, and future plans. Gather all the information you can on your target organizations and make an educated decision.
Can’t Decide
If you know what’s important to you and simply can’t decide who is worthy of your donation, there is help. There are charity listing services, such as Pickingacharity.com, that will choose a charity based on your values and interests. These charities have been pre-screened and provide you with information on what they do and what causes they support.
Not Enough?
Let’s say that you want to help children with Downs Syndrome, but you also have a soft spot for animals and want to help women get away from abusive relationships. While you may not have enough money to donate to a handful of these charities, there is still an option for you. There are non-profit support organizations that will disperse your donations among the charities they work with. United Way and Earth Share are just two examples of these support organizations that allow you to cover a wide range of deserving charities with your donations.
With so many people, animals, and causes to support, it’s hard to choose just one outlet for your charitable dollars and donations. There are many options available for choosing the right cause, and if that isn’t enough, there are organizations that will do the choosing for you. Either way, it’s always important to give and no matter where your money goes, know that it’s always appreciated.
Greg Christy writes about charitable giving and financial advice. He stressed the importance of living within your means and monitoring your credit at www.creditreport.org. A good credit rating can save you thousands of dollars.
It is very important to select the right kind of charity for donation. Loved all the points you have mentioned here. I would say there are also some people in this business who runs charity but work for their own selfish motive. So it is also important to check the authenticity of the charity as well.
I recently donated to a cancer research foundation that was advertised in our national newspaper. Felt so good-hope the money reaches the deserving candidate-though, i am sure, many are indeed deserving.
It’s completely alright to feel obligated to help everyone in need but it’s true that we must prioritize charitable institutions and organizations that urgently need the assistance of other individuals or groups to assist them in sustaining their cause. Remember to be keen and wary about making donations to make sure that the help you are extending will actually be used for a good cause. Thanks for this reminder.
I never gave it a thought to research before making a donation because after all it’s just the thought that counts. But having read your post I believe one must ensure the donation actually serves the purpose of charity. Great share.
Great Post. hey you should do this more often! It’s completely alright to feel compelled to help each person in need but it’s true that we must prioritize giving institute and association.
I think the best way to decide on a charity is by picking the one that you can relate to the most and the ones that need assistance the most. Some people may not be able to relate to any so you should pick the one you feel the most passionate about and the one you feel you could make a difference too the most.
Recently I came into contact with a charity organization, which was indulging in philanthropic work just for namesake, under the veil it was involved in some or the other selfish business plans. Therefore, indeed it is essential to crucially select the charity organization, so that the charity reaches the right people. These are great pointers, thanks for sharing them.
I remember the days when donating to charity was legit, it seems that these days there are many organisations that scam their customers which is never a good thing especially when you are trying to do something good. Always research the organisation and ask other people that have donated before etc. Great post- thank you for sharing.
I am not sure how it works elsewhere, but in the UK charities need to have a registered charity number, which should help people determine their legitimacy. Truly sorry to hear that there are such common scams out there willing to abuse people’s generosity.
Thanks for sharing this great piece of info..Charity gives a sense of inner satisfaction and happiness. These tips will surely be helpful in selecting the right one.
Charity walks are always nice and filled with enthusiasm. Thanks for sharing this information.
Something many people overlook is the value of time donation. Depending on the organization, it might be better for them if you donate your time instead of, or in addition to money.
I guess I would go with Africans or those who require money, clothes and food the most. You know, I would even apply for fast paydayloans. All of my friends of no agree with me. They think that it is a bad idea to borrow money for that purpose. Thanx a lot, your article is very informative and before I actually decide to donate some, I will definitely investigate everything first. It is just I know that there are a lot of so-called charity organizations out there who simply lie to people by taking all of the money to themselves. Thanx again for the post