I want to do something good for a charity ?

Question

I want to do something good for a charity. Any one. I want to donate money, because I would like to do something anonymous but still be able to help out...one problem. I can't think of a charity that means a lot to me and I think that if i find a charity that i am really dedicated to and research about it , maybe I can become really active in the charity. So if you have any charities that you think I should research can you tell me? Thanks

Answer 1

First, I applaud you for wanting to help.  As a former executive director of a charity, I can tell you there is a lot of belt-tightening going on and any donation will be very much appreciated.

I would think about the kinds of things you like to do in your spare time, charities whose missions have special meaning to you.  For example, my favorite uncle died of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and I helpd them.  I also help my local arts organization.

Just brainstorm and come up with a list of charities.  I'd first volunteer with these charities - it will give you an idea of how the charity is run, and give you a firsthand look at things.  

If volunteering isn't possible and you want to find out more about the charity, go to http://www.guidestar.org.  Once you register (it is easy and free of charge) you can do a search on the charity name.  You can get financial information about the charity, including their operating budget and what they are spending money on.  It can be very helpful in identifying charities that use their money wisely.

Another thing besides volunteering and money that you can give are tangible goods.  This is called an "in-kind" donation and like a monetary donation, is tax deductible.

When I started my charity, all of our furniture, and office fixtures were donated.  As a start-up, you can imagine how grateful we were for basic things like desks and filing cabinets.  Even if a charity has been around for a long time, chances are they have a "wish list" of things they'd like to buy.  You may find that the things on their wish list are collecting dust in your garage.

I hope this helps and best of luck with your search!

Answer 2

  I think St Jude's is a wonderful organization  they take all people that need critical  medical  help & it is run on donations. Salvation  Army is another one they help  on a larger range  than most. All these organization are hurting for money & help is limited. I think it's great what you want to do,good luck.

Answer 3

Local charities are best. I'd suggest that you take a look at your local United Way chapter (go to their site and type in your zip code) – it serves as a clearinghouse for a number of different community organizations in your area. If you're in a well-populated area, you'll have a lot to choose from.