[vitacr]

I prefer to help local charities. My favorite is Centsible Furnishings on 441, a concerted effort of over 30 local churches . The proceeds from sales in this resale shop are given to the needy in the trip county area. Great place to donate your items, big or small.

[rmd2]

My favorite charity is all the fast food employees or anyone else in a very low wage job here in this area. They are working for minimum wage but they are working and doing the best they can. I go in and tip them and include a written inspirational message.

[eschiavo]

100% Saint Jude. They take care of families visiting the many cancer stricken children. They are legit. Been donating to them over 50 years 👍

[davem4616]

It's the Salvation Army for us....I ring the bell for them and donate heavily throughout the year. They take the least for themselves (11%) and only spend 7% on marketing

When I was in the service and needed help to get home for a funeral the Salvation Army helped me. I went to the Red Cross for help first, they wouldn't help me even though I had donating pints of blood to them for years and was one of their certified Red Cross First Aid Instructors and a Water Safety Instructor. I've never given a dime to the Red Cross again. Take a look at home much they pay themselves...and they determine how much of what you contribute to a cause will actually go to that cause vs. be held for some other cause

[EviesGP]

When I was in the Navy in the 80s, I was asked to contribute to the Combined Federal Campaign(CFC), which distributes monies to various benevolent organizations. One of the biggest was the United Way. When I learned what they paid their CEO, I was quite disgusted. Not sure why a charitable organization needs to pay a CEO that much(which I believe was over $300k?)?! Regardless, I withdrew from CFC, and have been very conscious of where my donations go, ever since. I agree on Salvation Army, and many of the others(children's orgs), and I also agree on the Red Cross comments. But, nonetheless, I still believe in giving.

[Ecuadog]

Shriners Hospitals for Children
Doctors Without Borders
Americares

[moe1212]

World Vision

[Wanda GV]

Voices for Children of NC FL supports children in dependency (aka foster care) who are represented by a Guardian ad Litem. Voices for Children of NC FL has no paid administrators, just a paid bookkeeper. We have been in business since 1992. Currently there are over 2,100 children from 5 local counties who are in dependency. The state does not provided enough financial support to take care of all of their needs. 100% of your donation goes to take care of the children's needs. I am the treasurer and I know where the money goes. The address is Voices for Children, PO Box 40662, Ocala, FL 34478. If you would like more information, let me know and I will be happy to talk to you.

[jammendolia]

Go to charity navigator

[KRM0614]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

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?

Same problem with st judes officers make multiple six figures

Do local church’s

[KRM0614]

Originally Posted by EviesGP

When I was in the Navy in the 80s, I was asked to contribute to the Combined Federal Campaign(CFC), which distributes monies to various benevolent organizations. One of the biggest was the United Way. When I learned what they paid their CEO, I was quite disgusted. Not sure why a charitable organization needs to pay a CEO that much(which I believe was over $300k?)?! Regardless, I withdrew from CFC, and have been very conscious of where my donations go, ever since. I agree on Salvation Army, and many of the others(children's orgs), and I also agree on the Red Cross comments. But, nonetheless, I still believe in giving.

United way pays local leaders 300,000-400,000 in small towns medical dental vision 401K better benefits than most jobs

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

This is the only cause I donate money to, when I'm able to donate anything at all:
All Hands on Board Marketplace

Tucker is a friend from college, he's been living with ALS for over a decade now. He's absolutely brilliant and helped design the intricate computer system he uses now to help him communicate and do his artwork. He lives at home with a small 24/7 professional nursing staff. There are dozens of other unpaid volunteer "caretakers" for Tucker, from his immediate and extended family, to lifelong friends he's made, to friends he's made through his former job in the film industry. It costs around $10,000 per month for Tucker to just - live. Disability and medicaid covers a good amount of it, but not all.

Edited to add: if you felt you needed to receive something in return for a donation, you could just buy some of his artwork instead of donating. I think he'd probably like that even more. Tucker Stilley

He can't eat, breathe, eliminate waste, without machines. He has no ability to move any part of his body, other than his eyes, and I believe he can still twitch his lips to smile on one side of his face. He is non-vocal, but communicates by computer with a special device that tracks his eye movements (one of the few muscles he still has control over).

His art is unworldly, and he has a team who helps him with gallery exhibitions (he attends via live video streaming from home). Tucker and his wife Lindsay are two of the most remarkable people I've had the honor of knowing. Lindsay is a true warrior woman, a talented film editor, devoted caregiver and childhood love of Tucker's, and fierce mama-bear to their daughter Juno (who is exquisite in her own right). I met Lindsay first, she lived two floors directly beneath my dorm room when I was in my second year at Emerson College.

100% of all donations goes directly to Tucker's care. The family takes no "administrative fees" and pays the pay-pal fees themselves unless the donor chooses to do it for them. The Cohort for Disembodied Artists (the name of his non-prof) is a true non-profit charitable organization and donations are tax deductible.

[KRM0614]

Originally Posted by John41

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

Habitat for humanity pays huge salaries medical dental vision retirement and college tuition - I’ll pass

[raynan]

Patriot Service Dogs, puppies trained by women prison inmates and then donated to disabled vets and also Salvation Army.

[Villageswimmer]

Originally Posted by threefootputt

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.

Yes. Always check Charity Navigator. Organizations must post their IRS990. In it, they are required to list salaries of “highly compensated employees.” Some salaries are truly exorbitant. And I mean you have see it to believe it.

We avoid national charities. Locally, we support SoZo Kids (poverty in Ocala National Forest), the Girl Scout Alumnae drive for local homeless children, and “Kids, Cops & Christmas” sponsored by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office where a deputy takes a child to a store and lets the child choose his gifts at the same time establishing a positive relationship with a LEO.

There are many local charities run by volunteers with little or no overhead.