MemberFor the first part, what’s your goal when you donate?
To feel like you’ve made a difference, to do the most help possible, to get the biggest tax return etc etc etc?
For the second, what do you look for in a charity?
One that uses the most money towards the cause, the one that does the most with the fewest dollars, one that doesn’t have strings attached to the help etc etc etc?
MemberI donate to animals charities that move me, to things I am interested in. I donate so that the organization continues it’s good works. I like these animal organizations’ mission:
Elephant Sanctuary
Bulldog Rescue
a local dog rescue group
I donate to organizations that save buildings and historic places:
local historic houses
neighborhood historic park
I donate to arts and entertainment organizations that entertain me:
NPR
a local cultural heritage society
I donate to things and places I can see and feel and touch. When the NOLA thing happened and we had a family at the end of our block take in their NOLA relatives for months, I gave $250 to them. But that’s unusual, I do not normally donate to charities that benefit humans.
I donate pretty often to political parties which unfortunatley cause them to send me lots of mailers, ugh.
MemberMr TTR & I give annually to a list of Charities… some Local, some Provincial, some National, and some International
Because I know this is mostly a “spin off” from the Philippines topic, I’ll answer from that perspective.
Our importance there is someone that has a PROVEN track record… can get in quickly (less red tape)… is highly respected (non denominational) … and by all standards does a good job in what they do with the resources they have at hand
So when it comes to International Disasters… our choice is The Red Cross / Red Crescent org.
However… we have other International Agencies that we also believe in… just that they are more of an ongoing thing vs. an “Emergency / Time of Need” Donation… Unicef for example would fall into this category.
We also try to choose charities that we have some connection to… for whatever personal reason (ie some one with Cancer, someone who was Homeless, etc)
IF Mr TTR & I ever win the lottery… and came into significant money… we’ve already talked about setting up a Charitable Trust… and how we’d annually allocate that money.
MemberHm, I didn’t really think it through when I started donating. I just figured, I have enough $ to pay my bills plus a little extra left over each month and OMYGAWD.THOSE.POOR.ANIMALS.ON.ANIMAL.COPS…I should donate!!!
So I ended up choosing the rescue where I got my dog from, because I love that they specialize in finding homes for animals that are harder to place (e.g., with medical issues, senior pets, etc.). I give a few bucks each month. They also post on their website a list of supplies they’re running low on, so every now and then I’ll buy something online and ship it to them.
MemberI’m a little all over the place, I haven’t come up with a specific donation plan or anything, but I also have no personal income.
I’ve donated so I didn’t feel bad about wasting things – food I wasn’t going to eat, pads that I became allergic to, clothes that I wasn’t going to wear.
I’ve donated time going door to door because it was a nice day, I got some exercise, it looked good on a resume and I think my mom just wanted me out of the house for a while and I could get away from her nagging for a bit.
I’ve also done things just because the group was doing it – operation Christmas child for example which isn’t something I plan to do again knowing more about it.
I’ve also donated to support friends.
More recently, and in the future I plan to look into the charity that will do the most good with my donation. I don’t care if that means some goes towards admin costs. To be honest though, it will also be charities that are reasonably convenient for me.
Member1. to do the most help possible
2. i check their rating on charitynavigator to make sure they are legit
i guess in terms of what i look for in a charity, i look to see if the work they are doing is something i am passionate about
I give to Heifer, IRC, Kiva (not a charity but micro loan org), Peace Corps, All Hands Volunteers
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