Questions about giving to charities and others

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Lucy_1

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I have some questions about financial giving. Please answer any or all of these, thank you!

What are your favorite charities? If you’re aware of any who keep their administration costs low that is a bonus.

Do you prefer to give a larger amount to one charity or to give smaller amounts to several charities?

Do you give more to local charities or do you give locally and abroad indiscriminately?

If you become aware of a friend’s need (or the friend of a friend) on Facebook, GoFund Me, etc., do you always try to give to their need? What principles do you use for giving to individuals who have a need?

Do you give more to your parish church, or more to charities-- what’s a rough ratio?
 
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Answering 2 of the questions:
Favorite Charity: St. Vincent de Paul (due to usage of funds, and multifaceted capacities)
Local vs. abroad: Local/most relevant to my own interests in causes has been best for me, but if you have a cause that you like that has no need local, then there’s no need to restrict.
 
I give monthly to my parish, Catholic Relief Services, and Catholic Charities of America…I give when I can to The Franciscans (Provence of Saint Barbara), St. Jude’s, local Feed America, and the Humane Society…lots of options, but that doesn’t mean I give that much…just give what you can, where you can, and with joy!
 
My parish, local charities, Mary Mother of God Mission Society, some arts programs oh and CAF
 
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Being non religious, I only give to religious charities on occasion. I do have a few regular ones that are concentrating their efforts within America but, I also give to Doctors Without Borders which is international and UNICEF.

I like to mix it up now and then when something is brought to my attention. I always check on Charity Navigator to evaluate them first.

I have been so bombarded by requests from legitimate charities that I decided to do some house cleaning. Charities, even legitimate good ones, sell their donor list to other legitimate and good charities. Since I’m not going to be able to give to all of them, I want them to save the cost of postage in their constant mailings to me. I sat down and requested all of them to take me off their lists. I did the same with phone calls. Now, I write a letter and enclose my money as cash. I give them no names, addresses or email addresses. True, I have no records for tax deductions but I rarely qualified for it anyway over taking the standard deductions.

They get the money. They have no one to add to their lists for themselves or to sell. I’m not bothered with junk mail hardly at all and little to no emails! I’m much happier for it!
 
If you’re fortunate to have a local community foundation (some areas of the country do, some do not - every community in Indiana does), they’re my top suggestion. The administration cost is usually about 1-2%, which is unusually low, and the funds have the potential to impact good projects/local needs in perpetuity. You can specify how you want your donation used.
 
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It seems to me that education is the highest priority area. Private schools, children’s summer camps.
There are also medical humanitarian missions that serve in areas affected by war and epidemics.
 
Lucy_1 said:
What are your favorite charities? If you’re aware of any who keep their administration costs low that is a bonus.
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Missio
Salvation Army
St. Vincent de Paul
Any local Catholic orders that work with the poor
Any Catholic order or organization that offers Gregorian Mass
Various animal rescue charities, usually helping bears and cats, sometimes rabbits
Do you prefer to give a larger amount to one charity or to give smaller amounts to several charities?
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I tend to give relatively small amounts to a bunch of charities.
Do you give more to local charities or do you give locally and abroad indiscriminately?
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I try to do some of each, however I also try to give more where there is a greater need.
If you become aware of a friend’s need (or the friend of a friend) on Facebook, GoFund Me, etc., do you always try to give to their need? What principles do you use for giving to individuals who have a need?
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I will give if it’s legit. I generally will give if it’s a case of disaster relief, medical bills for an uninsured artist/ musician/ bartender etc, help for funeral expenses/ family of a friend who died suddenly, or genuine emergency. I generally do NOT give to people who are chronically insolvent and need help with their rent or whatever, and they generally do not ask through a Gofundme but will hit up people for money via private channels, often telling some sort of a hinky story or asking for money on a regular basis rather than taking steps to address their situation.
Do you give more to your parish church, or more to charities-- what’s a rough ratio?
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I give quite a bit more to the three churches I consider my parishes.
 
Lucy_1 said:
What are your favorite charities? If you’re aware of any who keep their administration costs low that is a bonus.
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Two local charities in my area.
Lucy_1 said:
Do you prefer to give a larger amount to one charity or to give smaller amounts to several charities?
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A lot to the two mentioned earlier and here and there to others.
Lucy_1 said:
Do you give more to local charities or do you give locally and abroad indiscriminately?
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Local, because I believe that because of where I live I’m one of the group of people who should support them.

Others may feel differently.
Lucy_1 said:
If you become aware of a friend’s need (or the friend of a friend) on Facebook, GoFund Me, etc., do you always try to give to their need? What principles do you use for giving to individuals who have a need?
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I have not as of yet donated through these means. I won’t rule out doing so in the future if the person suggesting it is reliable and I think the cause is something I should support.

I have given to individuals I know in real life who have a need.
Lucy_1 said:
Do you give more to your parish church, or more to charities-- what’s a rough ratio?
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Charities.

I give adequately to my church but a lot to charities.

Again, someone else may feel differently.

As I said in a thread recently, I don’t believe there’s a “right” percentage to give to someone’s church or ratio of donation to church versus charities. This is a question for each individual, between them and God, considering that person’s unique situation.
 
signit said:
A lot to the two mentioned earlier and here and there to others.
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Are the charities local branches of a National charity? If so can you mention who they are, if you don’t mind.

If you give a lot, you must give out if your need, rather that your surplus. How do you do that?
 
Thanks for the reply.
Lucy_1 said:
Are the charities local branches of a National charity? If so can you mention who they are, if you don’t mind.
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Strictly local charities.
Lucy_1 said:
If you give a lot, you must give out if your need, rather that your surplus. How do you do that?
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I live frugally.

What I see as surplus someone else might see as need.

And I got more out of making a large donation earlier this summer than if I had gone out and bought material things for myself.
 
Lucy_1 said:
What is this? Would it be funded privately or through the govt? How can I find out if my area has one?
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A community foundation (much like any other charitable foundation) holds the “principal” in trust perpetually, but invests it prudently to earn a decent return. The returns are used to support the cause designated. (That’s an extremely simplified description.) The difference is that a community foundation is funded by individuals from or affiliated with that community - not corporate share earnings or government funds.* There are community members who serve as the board of directors and necessary committee members to make the decisions about investing, granting, etc.

The Council on Foundations has a locator tool you can use to find the nearest one or whether there’s one in a community you have affinity toward.


*These can be accepted, but it’s usually an individual’s initiative.
 
St. Judes, most definitely.
ASPCA, when I can.
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Nature Conservancy
Bird Conservancy
Some veterans charities
My parish

Pattylt has a great idea.
 
Far too many charities, especially the bigger ones are money making machines. Although the majority of them do great work, there is always the question of running cost, asset accumulation & the ever growing difference between income & expenditure.

How many of us have offered to donate our time, our expertise, our hard work to charity’s, only to be told that money is the only way to help?

In our busy lives it is far to easy to give from the pocket & walk away feeling that we have done our part. I personally do not give money to any of them as they almost always reject my charity in the form of labor. I choose to speak directly to people in need, my neighbors, my community & quickly find many things I can do to help improve their lives.
 
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Occasionally, I’ll see in our local paper a story about someone in our community whose house has burned down or who has incurred huge medical expenses that their insurance only partly covered, and a bank account has been set up for donations to help them out.

I like to contribute to these folks getting back on their feet, whenever I can.

However, I will only donate to an in-person account set up in their name — never online.

Several years ago, there was a charity that was supposedly set up to provide doctors and medical treatment for Lepers in a third world country. That sounded worthwhile, but when I asked them what percentage of donations they received actually went toward this cause, they refused to tell me. RED FLAG! They didn’t get anything from me, after stonewalling this legitimate question, which I had every right to know the answer to. A legitimate charity has no reason to hide this information.

And I have encountered the same problem EssentialBeing has described. I once called up our local food bank and offered to volunteer my services in whatever capacity they needed. The lady on the phone was so nasty and rude to me, that I never contacted them again
.
 
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My parish.
ASPCA
Salvation Army
Guiding Eyes For the Blind
EWTN
 
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