Catholic Charitable Giving?

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I’m not sure where to put this, but I’ll start here.
Some time ago I asked about good Catholic charities to give to.
Someone posted info about a charity where you pledge each month to sponsor an elderly person or achild. i can’t find the site. Any info would be appreciated.
 
This organization is dear to my heart. After a missionary spoke at my parish a few years ago, some parishioners actually visited this area. They came back on fire to spread the word and do more to assist these impoverished people. You will note that 96% of the donations are used to help the poor.
 
I’m not sure of which one you speak but the St. Vincent de Paul Society is an awesome one to support.
 
Since I always like to look up a charity before I give to it, no matter whether they are a Catholic charity or not. I figured I would supply a link to an evaluation of one of the good ones for sponsering children or the aging.

Christian Foundation for Children and the Aging. This is the synopsis from the division of the Better Buisness Bureau that evaluates charities.

give.org/reports/report.aspx?ID=138&ReportType=1

92% to program
4% to fundraising
4% to admin

Not bad for a Catholic lay charity.

Looks like they are pretty good.

You can look up most National charities on this site at:
give.org
 
I just received a letter from my CFCA “sponsored child” in India today! Yes, it is a worthy cause… :yup:
 
Thanks for all the info. I went with CFCA, which is, I think the one I had seen mentioned here some months ago. Honestly, the monthly sponsor amount is a little stretch for my household, particularly due to a recent financial reversal. But God will certainly provide, and others need the money much more than we do.
 
I can only speak for Australia since I am Australian…but we do have a list of all Charities including Catholic that give all their funding direct to the cause, with of course a very small minimum to adminstrative costs and the percentage is stated.

Every week there lands in my letterbox at least three requests from Charities - very often more than three, including Catholic, asking donations…most of these have very expensive advertising brochures requesting funds and these personally I prefer to avoid…altho I do realize that some organization may have offered as a donation to provide advertising for them. In the main I have my personal formal charities drawn from our direct to cause list.

St. Vincent de Paul do wonderful work and usually there is a collector for SVP outside of Mass on Sunday…this I’ll empty my pockets almost for!

Peace in all things…Barb:)
 
I agree, I also receive tons of mail from supposedly Catholic charities, many of which I have never even heard of. I also think it is funny when you see several mailers from the same charity over and over again. I personally have a policy that if a charity sends me more then about 4 letters a year asking for money [not including the famous, thank-you for your money if you wanna send more please use this enclosed envelope letter] they are taken off my list. Occasionally I will let some of my favorite charities slide on this in unusual situations. One charity I use to like giving to I sent something saying put me on a reduced mailing list or I will stop sending any money. The numerous mailings continued. Eventually I got a letter from them saying that if you give X we will put you on a reduced mailing list. I gave X and they continued to send just as many. They no longer get my charity money.

Of course none of the religious charities are as bad as PBS. I gave to them 2 years in a row and received things asking for money EVERY week. I stopped giving due to the extreme amount of mailings. I moved and didn’t provide forwarding info for them and a couple years later started receiving just as many mailings.

I love the charities that EVERY year send out letters that claim this year is the worse year ever due to [insert some major tragity here] and how just a little more money can help.
 
I love the charities that EVERY year send out letters that claim this year is the worse year ever due to [insert some major tragity here] and how just a little more money can help.
Click to expand...
Having worked many years ago as private secretary to the managing director of an advertising agency (but not for long - no ethics to my mind!), I am aware of the manipulations used deliberately to issue a favourable advertising campaign (manipulations to drag in more money for a charity)and used at times by Charities, altho to my knowledge not Catholic Charities…to my knowledge!
I also know just how very expensive such campaigns are.
That is why it is helpful to have a list of Charities that give by far the majority of their funds direct to the cause, with a minimal stated percentage to adminstration. Many charities too do excellent work at minimal admin costs but are not Catholic…at least here in Australia.

Peace…Barb
 
I received info and a photo of the elderly woman in the Philippines I am sponsoring (CFCA). Her smile is so sweet I immediately put aside the worries I had about whether I could spare the money every month. God will provide for both of us. God bless her and all the needy. Thanks to those who suggested charities.
 
I like Catholic Relief Services – last time I checked, a very high % of the donations given went directly to services and they are all over disasters – traumatic, long standing (ie, drought, refugees). We also sponsor children in a Catholic orphanage in Mexico. Within the US, I highly respect the Campaign for Human Development.
 
I hope this is on topic. Yesterday after mass we had an appeal from Catholic Charities and the speaker said they were also supported or partnered with United Way. I was shocked and dismayed because United Way also supports Planned Parenthood. Can anyone shed any light on this? I am confused.
 
Odds are the Catholic Charities is only partnered with United Way in so much as that you can give to Catholic Charities through United Way. This is for those people that are “required” to give through their at work program. If you really have to give through at work programs it is best to give money designated to a good Catholic charity like Catholic Charities. But first make sure you really have to give through that at work program, some highly push it but most don’t require it.

United Way has been discussed on this board numerous times.

It is highly suggested that instead of giving money to the United Way you give directly to the charity you want to support. More of the money actually gets to the charity and there is no chance the money will go to support groups like Planned Parenthood.
 
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