Realistically, only 25% of any money given to a charity should be spent on "administrative" services, this includes advertising. The rest should go to those it is intended for.
I dont know about other countries, but in the USA, it is ill-advised to give ANY money to ANYONE on the street asking for it. 99.99% of the time, they are only working for their own personal charity, not the one they claim to be working for.
Those who are volunteering for the charity and collecting for them, well, it has been said that at least 50% of those collectors steal from what they have collected.
Simple rules of giving to any charity:
1. Check them out, see if they are legitimate. Search to see if they have had any complaints or lawsuits against them. Call them or go to a local office and ask questions. If they answer your questions to your satisfaction without grimace, then they may be legit. If they come up with excuses as to how they cant answer your questions, leave and dont look back...more than likely they are fake.
2. NEVER donate to someone on the street. If you want your money to go to the organization, then get their donations address from the company itself and mail in a money order or personal check.
3. If you like to donate to local charities, do it in person. Dont leave goods or money with someone else or at "locations". Go directly to the main office, or the place having the charity drive.
4. Get a tax receipt, whether you use it on your taxes or not, keep it. If they dont have tax receipts, get a receipt with what you donated, the date, the name of the charity, and a signature.
5. Donate a weekend of your time to work for this charity, to check it out. If you feel its a worthwhile and honest charity, then you can feel better about knowing where you money goes.
The usual "honest" charities are the ones where the local police or firefighters collect for kids.
Yes, there may be SOME corruption in it somewhere down the line, but I havent heard of any as of yet.
The point is, if you want to give to a charity, more power to you. Just dont do it blindly.
Teach your friends, relatives, and kids the ins and outs of giving to charities.
It is better to donate in person to the actual charity. If you want to give a box of canned goods, drive it to the local food bank, or if it is a large quantity, they may come pick it up.
If you want to supply toys to tots, I would suggest checking in on your local shelters and hospitals for those kids who dont have anything, or are not in a position to be a kid but only a patient. Give to them directly...if allowed.
No, not all charities are corrupt, but it is very easy for them to get that way. By cutting out the "middle man", you are more certain what you give is actually going to be placed where you expect it.
If you are giving to one of these "starving kids" programs....remember that these people live this way.
They have lived this way for probably hundreds of years. If they dont see fit to pull themselves out of huts and shacks, then your money isnt really doing them any good. Look to see who's starving in your own back yard. Meals on Wheels always needs help. Soup kitchens always need more food and volunteers.
And one final reminder....
Charity frauds and fakes come out in
droves during disasters. Tsunami's, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods.....anything a corrupt, despicable sack of shit can do or say to squeeze money out of the gullible. Billions in money and donated goods are always lost to these frauds. Even some of the good charities people will be collecting for, are only collecting in the charities name for themselves.
If you arent going to check your charity out beforehand, I can give you my address and you can just send me a nice fat check or money order. Because I am the neediest charity I know.
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