Today is Giving Tuesday, also known as the national day of giving. The day was created in response to the spending frenzy associated with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. However, rather than benefiting retailers, Giving Tuesday was created to benefit charitable organizations.
The day was chosen by New York’s 92nd Street Y, which is a nonprofit community center in New York. As the national day of giving gained popularity, The United Nations Foundation joined the effort to raise awareness.
In 2012, the group raised more than $10 million in donations for 2,500 nonprofit organizations. Although the group distributes the funds to numerous organizations, they also encourage individuals and families to contribute their time and money to other local and national causes.
While many people are feeling charitable during the holiday season, it can be difficult to choose a worthy and reputable cause. Unfortunately, questionable organizations often choose names which are similar to well-respected charities. Thankfully, there are resources that can help donors choose worthy causes and avoid scams.
The Charity Navigator website provides a search tool to help donors research charities. The search results include the charity’s category, cause, registration information, rating, and detailed financial records.
In addition to the search tool, the website provides lists of charities that are reputable and those to avoid.
On Giving Tuesday, there are 10 charities that donors should definitely avoid. All 10 organizations have consistently received “extremely poor” ratings as they have been found to “perform far below industry standards and below nearly all similar charities.”
Charities to avoid include:
Firefighters Charitable Foundation
National Veterans Services Fund, Inc
Children’s Charity Fund, Inc
The Committee for Missing Children
Wishing Well Foundation USA
Shiloh International Ministries
Texas Stampede
Disabled Police Officers Counseling Center
State of Florida Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues, Inc.
United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association
Although there are many scam organizations, Giving Tuesday was created to raise awareness for reputable organizations. Those wishing to contribute can visit GivingTuesday.org.
Charity Navigator also provides a list of the top 10 highly rated organizations.
The most reputable organizations include:
Carnegie Institution for Science
The Children’s Aid Society
American Endowment Foundation
Energy Outreach Colorado
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Harlem Children’s Zone
Institute for Justice
Compassion International
National Education for Assistance Dog Services
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
On Giving Tuesday, it may be difficult to choose a reputable charity. However, a little research can help donors assure they are helping a worthy cause.
[Image via Shutterstock]
Giving Tuesday: Charities To Avoid is a post from: The Inquisitr News