Favorite Charity or Good Cause
 

I'm not a big fan of most charities, especially those that pay huge salaries to the principal officers. If they do, I rule them out, although, I don't know if I can trust the mandated Federal financial disclosures. My current significant heir is the Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital. Is that a good choice? What is your favorite cause?

Locally, Your Humane Society, a no kill animal shelter in Lake Panasoffkee. I've found them to be reputable and they group works hard for the animals who are in need.

:) Mine is the Salvation Army. 40 almost 50 years ago I remember fighting fires in some real cold / freezing temperatures. The only one there besides us firefighters and the cops were The Salvation Army giving out hot coffee. :ho: And they are far from being overpaid! I am happy to help them help others in need.
I wouldn't give a nickel to the Red Cross. Look up what the President and CEO makes in salary and benefits. And they tried to sell me a cup of coffee when I was in the military. :duck:

We have three on our Christmas list for money gifts
Humane Society Lake Panasoffkee
Humane Society Stuart Florida
Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary Ocala

Others we donate items to their thrift store
Haven Women’s Shelter
Humane Society Ocala
Salvation Army
Habitat for Humanity

Several such as Make a Wish, American Cancer Society, St Jude and American Heart Assoc.

Used to give to March of Dimes until I found out how they spend their donations.

We support food pantries and soup kitchens monthly, one here and one in our former Michigan town. Aside from Best Friends Animal Society and Americares, I like to support small charities. My grand niece attends a Spanish immersion school in Oakland CA that has a fundraiser every year for needs of the children in the school who come from poverty. I always do the food donation things run by Winn-Dixie. That kind of thing. I like to save some money out for helping victims of or responders to natural disasters. Last year it was the wildfires in Australia (our son and DIL live there).

My favorites for nationally known charities are feedingamerica.org, The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and St. Jude's Children's Hospital

St Jude for me

Absolutely.
The Salvation Army, or the "Sally Anne" as we used to call them, were always first at the scene of any major incident.
A true Christian organisation.
Have so much respect for them.

The Seeing Eye in New Jersey.
 

The Seeing Eye in New Jersey.

Agree. Ours is Salvation Army.

St Jude’s, Fisher House, Salvation Army and local food pantries are my main go to charities. I have one or two others I support when they request help but those are because they helped some people I care about when they needed help. I always do my homework to make sure that almost all donations are used to support their users vs staff salaries and fund raising. I like to see 90% or higher used to help those they support.

Gary Sinise foundation is high on my list. I’ve done my research as well to make sure the money is well spent. Wonderful reputable organization...

CorgiAid

Dachshund Rescue of North America. All money goes to medical bills for the dogs.

Jerry Lewis got one million dollars for each telethon after he got control of the organization. All for the kids, YEAH RIGHT !!

Slightly off topic, but the Knights of Columbus Council 13300, in conjunction with David Suleiman, owner of Havana and Legacy Restaurants, are just finishing up a toy and monetary donation campaign to fund toys for critically and terminally ill children at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando.

We wish to thank all who contributed to this effort. It was an overwhelming success and all the patients will be pleasantly surprised on Christmas morning as a result of your incredible generosity. Thank you and God Bless you and your families.

Our favorite is St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. We visited the facility several years ago while in Memphis. It is quite an operation, even though it was sad to see so many sick children.
All the rest of my donation money goes to my grandkid's college bills. I have one who just graduated UF and is going on to PA School, and another just started college. Both are motivated and well deserving of our help. A third will start in 3 more years. Their mothers salary doesn't even come near what the college bills are. As long as we are alive, we will help.

You've chosen (IMHO) the best but, don't rely on others to validate your choices. Believe in your own research. :)

Ronald McDonald House

St Jude is good
 

St.Jude is good and I also give to the Gary Sinise Foundation. They help Military and first responder families who have lost their provider or if their provider has been permanently disabled. 94% goes to help them.

St Jude, Tunnel to Towers, Animal Welfare Leagues, Wounded Warrior

Please do not forget Shriners Hospitals for Children

YES...ST. JUDES' IS A GREAT CHOICE AND SO IT SALVATION ARMY...charitynavigator is a good place to search how much a charity spends on operation expenses..

There is an app called “Charity Navigator”. It gives the facts on expenditures, salaries and how much of the donation actually goes to helping the cause. You’ll be surprised how many of these large national charities spend on administrative, salary and advertising expenses.

St Theresa Soup Kitchen 11528 SE US Hwy 301, Belleview FL 34420 is in desperate need
 

St Theresa Soup Kitchen
11528 SE US Hwy 301
Belleview FL 34420
352-245-1359

Needs Help this year, when my husband went by to drop off a donation, he said the lines were pitiful, they feed the local desperate people, any donation would be appreciated, even $1.00, I am not associate with St Theresa in anyway, but we will try to help more this year.

I like to donate to SoZo Kids - helps people locally.

Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches
 

One of the best charities that will make a huge impact on local youth is the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches. They reach out to children who are in unstable homes BEFORE they get in trouble and provide a structured environment and continuing support for them to become outstanding citizens. I believe that all the counties in Florida participate. I first heard about the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches when I attended my county's citizen's academy. Following is a message from Sheriff Farmer about the Youth Ranches: Sumter County Sheriff Bill Farmer Discusses the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches - YouTube
Following is the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches website. Especially touching are the stories told by the children who were helped (under the section titled "Media" and then "Videos"): Home

All 501(c) charities have to fill out IRS form 990, that will show where the money goes.

https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-pr...ization-search

Charity Donations
 

Since I moved here now I donate locally to help the communities where I live. The Wildwood Soup Kitchen and Cornerstone Hospice The Villages are my two main yearly donations.

If you love animals as I do, check out Bestfriends.org. I have volunteered for this sanctuary 12 years in a row. They are located in Kanab, Utah just outside Zion national park. You may remember the football player Michael Vic and all those poor pitbulls, well the majority of them were sent to Best Friends and were rehabilitated . The original founders were a group of 30 people with the same vision and here it is 35+ years later and now their children are running the organization. Please check them out Bestfriends.org

Shriners hospital and Saint Jude children’s research Hospital

Donations
 

Agree that Charity Navigator is a site that focuses on rating organizations that accept donations. If you’re wondering, it’s easy to see how Charity Navigator rates a company.

The charity that provides food and other things for the kids living in the Ocala National Forest. I forget the name. For a national one, I agree with the Salvation Army.

Favorite Charity
 

My favorite charity happens to be apart of my church First Baptist of Leesburg/Village Park Campus, The thrift store on 441 in Leesburg, all proceeds go the the many missions right and campus and aboard .. currently we have a medical center, men's shelter, woman's shelter, pregnancy center, Samaritan Inn for homeless families, plus a huge food pantry .. each area benefits from God's teaching along with education, plus finding a jobs to be able to provide for their self and families again..
next trip south of 27 check it out.. or check out this web site
First Baptist Church of Leesburg
God Bless America ..

St Jude!! Yes! That is my one and only charity which I donate to several times a year. Legit cause! No other charity comes close

Thanks. I use Charity Navigator and Guidestar, and I have read many Form 990's. Sometimes, the Form 990 seems to be very vague and not as transparent as it should be. What amazes me is that there are hundreds of thousands of 501c charities. It is too easy for anyone to start a charity and get the IRS tax exemption status. I have read some Form 990's where a single family is taking more than 90 percent of the donations in salary, and spending a tiny amount on the people they claim to be helping. But, apparently, it is legal as long as they spend some money for the charity mission.

I give to the local Salvation Army (Leesburg) and this year I added Boys Town and St.Jude's , would love to give more but with my limited income I do what I can.

Salvation Army (lowest admin cost of any charity) & St. Judes Children's Hospital.

Try checking out charitywatch.org or chairitynavigator.org.