The holidays are a time to count your blessings. It’s also a time of year when there is a heightened consideration for those who are less fortunate. But if you’re thinking about charitable giving, it can be difficult to decide what to support. This is especially true when you’re asked to donate around every corner. You might get the same feel-good rush no matter where you donate, but it won’t translate into the same amount of support. Just like for-profit businesses, some are more efficient and effective than others. Like any financial decision you make, it’s important to do your research when giving to charities.
I was in the checkout line at the grocery store last week and the cashier asked if I wanted to donate a dollar. “To what?” I asked. The cashier was taken aback like no one had ever asked her that. She told me the name of a charity I had never heard of, so I asked her what cause they support. She didn’t know. Apparently other shoppers had no problem donating a dollar to an unnamed cause. It’s certainly generous, but also a little concerning.
If you really want to help people and not just feel good about yourself, it’s smart to choose an organization that will make your funds go as far as possible. Charity Navigator is a great resource for understanding where your money goes when you donate to non-profit organizations or non-governmental organizations. You can browse the website by category to find a new organization to support or check the profiles of organizations you’ve supported in the past to see if you want to keep supporting them.
There are so many worthy causes out there and anything you feel emotionally drawn to probably has a variety of charitable organizations dedicated to supporting it. You might as well choose the one that will do the most good in the world.
Amelia Forczak is a Best-Selling Ghostwriter and the Owner of Pithy Wordsmithery, a company that provides strategic ghostwriting, marketing, and consulting for authors and businesses. Pithy Wordsmithery works with clients to ensure the message they are conveying through their website, branding, marketing materials, presentations, and social media is the best possible message for their unique business.