Charity Recommendations
 

I would like opinions on how to give money to charity or how to volunteer. I don’t want to help people who are healthy and do not seem to be helping themselves and just want a handout. Also, I don’t like these children’s hospital charities because they don’t seem to be taking full advantage of Federal money, Medicaid, Obamacare, and other insurance that is already available. And, I don’t like charities for veterans because I think my tax dollars should provide for the veterans. And, I don't like charities that pay enormous salaries to their executive employees. So, can anyone recommend charities and other ways to help people who truly need help, but cannot get it any other way? I am also thinking about charities that can inherit my money. Thanks.

Charity Navigator (poke here)


I use this often. :thumbup:

forward paths.org -- They are a gold star rated charity in Leesburg that supports youth who have aged out of foster care. When children in foster care turn 18, they are thrown out of their homes, group homes, etc. Without this program, many turn to crime, etc. I am a volunteer as well as a mentor to one of the youth. We can always use new volunteers as well as donations. We especially are short of male volunteers to act as mentors for male youths.

http://forwardpaths.org

Donations
 

I would encourage you to check out the Heart of Florida Youth Ranch. The Heart of Florida Youth Ranch
Below is a description from their web site. This is NOT the Sheriff’s Ranch - these
children are there because their parents are not available! I have been helping them for two years by sourcing household goods, clothes, providing supplies like paper towels and toilet paper. Currently I am using my Yoga earnings to buy $15 Walmart
Birthday gift cards as they have nothing to get the children for their birthdays. The Villagers have been very generous in helping me with donations and I assure you that the Ranch is very thankful for every single thing they receive., no matter how small.
You can call them at (352) 595-7100 for more information. I think if you schedule a visit ( they are in Citra, just north of Ocala), you will be totally amazed by the Impact your support can have on children at a very desperate time in their lives!
Hope Begins Here . . .

For children who have nowhere to go and have suffered loss of parenting due to abandonment, abuse, neglect and death, these words are more than just a cliché. They represent the beginning of a journey toward healing and wholeness. Situated among the horse and cattle ranches of Marion County Florida; The Ranch provides a rural atmosphere that is conducive to nurture and growth.
We believe children grow up best in healthy families. When it is necessary for a child to live apart from his or her family, we provide quality, compassionate care and remain focused on getting the child and family reunited. When reunification is not an option, our focus becomes the best option for permanency for the child.
We are fully licensed by the Florida Department of Children and Families as a private 501c3 and accredited by the Council of Accreditation.

If you have any questions, call Fern on 352-561-4332 or fernhd@live.com

Consider one of the local food banks/pantries (here of where you're originally from) or Second Harvest. Hunger is a hidden crisis in America.

I also want to comment on the salary paid by some charities, I worked for a Habitat for Humanity affiliate after I retired, and their philosophy was to pay 75% of what the area was paying for managers/leaders. They had big problems hiring/retaining.


Would you have taken a 25+% pay cut during your peak earning years to work for a charity?

JMHO

If you would be interested in an animal charity I would recommend, Dragonwood Wildlife Conservancy. Check out their facebook page and instagram. I volunteer there and help with the animals and educational programs. The founder of the non-profit conservancy has never taken a salary and gives everything to the animals, their care and to the conservation of the numerous species they support. They work worldwide with the most rare and endangered animals, trying to save them from extinction. I have sadly learned how terrible we treat this planet and to the animals we share it with. The conservancy is about an hour from The Villages and they are always looking for volunteers and donations. There are so many ways that you can support them. I would love to share more, let me know if you are interested! Kim 330-289-2081 or email dilon61903@gmail.com

I only donate to One Blood. Nobody can work to earn blood.

Thanks for sharing.

I have a couple of favorites.

1. Remote Area Medical provides free health, vision and dental services (and veterinary when possible) to uninsured and underinsured residents in mostly rural areas. Medical caregivers are volunteer and program costs are low.

I was fortunate to volunteer once at one of their clinics and saw life-changing differences made in people's lives.

They're not big enough to be rated on Charity Navigator.

Remote Area Medical - Wikipedia

Segment from 2008 on 60 Minutes: Remote Area Medical - part 1 - YouTube

2. I also like Donor's Choose which allows you to directly fund various classroom projects. It's been given Charity Navigator’s highest rating every year since 2005.

From Wikipedia: "DonorsChoose.org enables teachers to request materials and resources for their classrooms and makes these project requests available to individual donors through its website. Donors can give $1 or more to projects that interest them, which are searchable by school name, teacher name, location, school subject, material, and keywords. DonorsChoose.org then purchases the supplies and ships them directly to the schools. Every project contains a line-item budget and a description of the project. All donors receive photographs of the project taking place in the classroom and a letter from the teacher."

Salvation Army

Charities that help Kids: Cure Search, Shriners, Make a Wish, St Judes (you said u didnt like the childrens hospitals but Danny Thomas did it right). Look up Fisher House - you might change your mind on support for Veterans.
Locally, a former work colleague told me about Operation Shoebox - procure and distribute necessities and niceties to active duty military personnel. After learning about it, I happened to run across a young veteran who had been wounded in Afghanistan - he couldnt stop praising the value of the mail and goods he received (indicated you really appreciate a snickers bar, a toothbrush and "real toilet paper"). They accept donations and also have a regular "work session" that always needs volunteers - Lake Miona - I believe.