Giving Is Caring...But Do It Wisely by Kristin Wallace

This month’s theme is focusing on our favorite charities. Giving back to your community or helping a cause you support can be as rewarding for you as it is for those who receive the help. There are so many worthy organizations that it can sometimes be hard to know which ones are legitimate. Even the legitimate ones don’t always end up dispersing funds the way they should. Many spend more money on “administrative” costs than they do the people they’re supposed to be helping. They might spend so much time fundraising that the true cause becomes obscured. Recently, Wounded Warriors came under fire for the way the organization spent money. That was a big, well-known charity, which can make people wary of giving.

So how can you know which charities are spending money the right way?

Tips:

1. Do some investigation - One good place to check is Charity Navigator.  This entity looks at IRS forms to see how much of the donations are going to executive compensation, as well as other program costs. The site also gives ratings based on transparency when it comes to spending.

2. Try to find organizations that spend 75% or more of donations on their stated mission.

3. Look at local charities in your community. Sometimes you can see the results of your giving in an immediate way, such as when you donate to a local food bank. You might also choose to sit on the board or volunteer in some other way.

Here are some other articles that might give you insight before you donate.

Money Smart - How To Find Charities That Spend Money Wisely

Love to Know - What Percentage of Donations Go to Charity

Consumer Reports - Best and Worst Charities For Your Donations

I hope this gives you some good tips on how to choose the organization for your charitable giving.

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and contemporary romance, and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her latest release is COMING HOME TO PARADISE…

About the book:

Thirty years ago, desperation drove Elizabeth McCarthy to do the unthinkable when she abandoned her infant daughter, Layla, to the care of her mother. Now, after years of trying to outrun the memories and the guilt, Beth has come home to Shellwater Key to make amends. She has survived deadbeat relationships, becoming a single mother, and cancer, but now faces the most difficult battle of her life…finding a way to connect with the legendary mother she was never able to please…and earning the forgiveness of the daughter who has every reason to hate her. She might even have a chance to find the missing piece of her heart when Layla’s father arrives in town looking for answers.

Coming Home To Paradise is a powerful story of a woman who never felt like she was enough, despite being physically beautiful. It’s the story of a woman who has been broken by life, and by illness, and who now only wants to make things right. A story about discovering that it’s never too late to find true love…or more accurately…find the true love that slipped away.

For info visit Kristin’s website at: Kristin Wallace Author