So many of us want to help others in our country and around the world, and some of us have the means to do so through financial donations to charities. However, there are literally thousands of charities out there, and it’s sometimes difficult to determine where we should donate and where our donations will do the most good.
Sadly, there are many charitable organizations out there that are not trustworthy. Some spend their donation money in a frivolous manner; others try to help the communities they aim to serve but fall short and are not all that effective.
If you’re on the hunt for charitable causes to support this year, you came to the right place. This informative post will explain how to best donate to causes that interest you, how to determine if specific charities are authentic, and how to go about donating your money to them. Read on.
How to Select Valid Charities
Thanks to our access to the internet today, it’s easy to do your own research on charitable causes to determine whether or not they are honest and effective.
When planning a monetary donation of any size, first visit the organization’s website. It should include clear information about that organization’s non-profit status and the work that it does to help people, animals, the earth, or other causes. However, don’t forget that anyone can make a website, and they can include whatever information on it that they wish; the simple existence of a website for an organization – even one that looks great – does not mean that the information included in it is true.
Fortunately, there are independent websites that exist to provide information to the public about registered non-profit organizations in our country, and in some cases, around the world. The two most well-known and well-respected are Charity Navigator and Guidestar.org.
Both of these sites can be very helpful for anyone wishing to research charitable organizations. They can tell you what percent of donations go directly to the causes they serve, fundraising expenses, costs of administration, and more. Both sites assign ratings to non-profits so you can easily compare several with one another.
You also might consider visiting the IRS and the Better Business Bureau online to further evaluate the charitable organizations you are considering.
You will be amazed at how much you can learn about various non-profits through the use of these resources.
Great Ways to Give to Charity
Once you’ve selected a charity that you feel will make good use of your money, there are a number of different ways to donate to them.
Direct giving is the most common way to donate. People who donate through direct giving send their donations to charities of their choice directly. They may drop off cash in person, mail a check, or donate to the charity online through the charity’s secure website.
However, direct giving is not the only way to donate. Some websites, like Givevia, have partnered with retailers to create systems to direct a portion of the profit from retail sales to various charities at no cost to consumers. Givevia lists over 1,500 retailers on its site and you can choose where your donations from shopping end up. The amounts and percentages of the donations will vary based on a number of factors, but this is one way that you can donate to causes that interest you without any additional effort or expense on your part.
If you wish to make a charitable donation in someone’s name as a gift, you may be hesitant to do so because you are unsure of which charitable causes your friend or loved one would most like to support. A solution to this problem is the gifting of a charity gift card. There are a few different companies out there that offer these. The gift-giver purchases a gift card in any amount. Then, the recipient can choose a charity that he or she wishes to support from a long list of options.
Not everyone has money to donate to charity, though. Some people wish to give back in another, equally valuable way – through donating their time. Almost every charitable organization needs volunteers, and almost every individual can carve out time in their day, week, month, or year to contribute to the charities of their choice in this way.
Call an organization you love today and ask to speak to the volunteer coordinator. You’ll be helping by donating your time before you know it.
15 Highly Rated Charitable Causes to Support
If you are looking for worthy organizations to donate to, there are so many to choose from, and so many of them are doing great work to help the causes they aim to serve. It can be hard to narrow down the field for anyone. Whether you donate a small amount to several charities, or a larger sum to just one or two, here is a list of several that are well-respected and effective today.
1. The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation was founded in 1988 and works in twelve different countries around the world. It works to end pediatric HIV infection and AIDS through prevention programs developed through research paired with advocacy.
2. Friends of Animals
Friends of Animals was founded in New York City in 1957. Since then, group members have worked hard to free animals from cruelty and exploitation. It works against animal testing for products and medical research, established a Wildlife Law Program, and works with other organizations to shut down zoos and circuses in which animals are abused.
3. Equal Justice Initiative
Equal Justice Initiative is based in Montgomery Alabama and works to defend people who cannot afford representation, who may have been wrongly accused of crimes, or who have been denied a fair trial under the law. The founder, Bryan Stevenson, was immortalized in the film Just Mercy, and he and his organization have been an inspiration to many.
4. Americal Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation
The ALCU has worked to preserve the rights and liberties guaranteed to Americans through the United States Consitution since 1920. It’s a non-partisan organization that has helped millions of people in many different ways. Donations to this organization helps to defray the costs of litigation and lobbying to meet its goals.
5. Unbound
Unbound was formerly known as the Christian Foundation for Children and the Poor. It is located in Kansas City, Kansas, but it works to help people all over the United States and the world. Although it helps people in many ways, it does so primarily through its sponsorship program, which provides basic necessities like food, medication, housing, and education to those in need.
6. Environmental Defense Fund
This organization works hard to educate the public and to introduce legislation to reduce global warming, to encourage ecosystem restoration, and to protect our planet and human health. Its headquarters are located in New York City, but it also has eight offices across the United States that focus on local and regional issues.
7. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Although they share a name, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund is separate from the NAACP organization. This organization, in operation since 1940, pursues racial justice and works to expand democracy for all Americans.
8. Waterkeeper Alliance
Waterkeeper Alliance is a network of environmental organizations that includes Riverkeeper, Baykeeper, Soundkeeper, and more in forty-six different countries. All of these groups work to keep waterways clean and free of pollution for the animals and people who use them.
9. World Resources Institute
World Resources Institute focuses on the protection of our world’s many resources including food, forests, water, energy, cities, climate, and ocean. It has offices in North America, South America, and Asia and works for solutions in the realm of environmental sustainability, economic opportunity, and human health.
10. National Alliance to End Homelessness
The National Alliance to End Homelessness works to end homelessness in the United States. It works directly with those in need, but it also provides data and research to other organizations and lawmakers to aid in debates on policy. Over the last decade, it has expanded its work to other English-speaking countries as well.
11. Action Against Hunger
Action Against Hunger is an international organization that works to end hunger. In 2019, it worked in fifty-one different countries around the world and helped 13.6 million people. If you wish to help a specific country, there are many country-specific organizations under the Action Against Hunger umbrella.
12. Rotary Foundation of Rotary International
The Rotary Foundation is a part of the Rotary International organization. Most of its contributions come from members, but anyone can donate. The Rotary Foundation’s biggest achievements include the distribution of the polio vaccine worldwide, humanitarian grant programs, and educational programs.
13. National Council on Aging
If you want to help the elderly in our country, the National Council on Aging is a great choice for your donations. Founded in 1951, it was the first organization in the United States that fought for the rights of older Americans, and it continues to do so today.
14. Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America organizes mentoring relationships with children and teens nationwide. Many of these relationships last a lifetime and help children with few role models to avoid drugs and gangs, to stay out of trouble, and to finish their schooling.
15. American Kidney Fund
Founded in 1971, the American Kidney Fund works to educate the public about kidney health awareness. It also provides financial assistance to people who need dialysis to manage kidney problems and offers free kidney health screenings nationwide.
Happy Giving
The above are just some of the many deserving charitable causes in our nation today. There are many more that are in need of donations and that work hard every single day to help people in our country and worldwide. Philanthropy is a beautiful thing, and it should be a part of all of our lives.
Remember, there are many different ways to give, and if you don’t have money to offer, you can always give your time. These organizations and the people and causes that they serve will thank you for it. Happy giving!
If you’re looking for more great posts about lifestyle, check out the Lifestyle section of our site.
