Watchdog: Best–and worst–bangs for your charity bucks You're probably swimming in money right now, so here are some good and bad charities for your modern indulgences [Consumer Reports Money]
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The best charity bang is the one you get and the worst is the one you give.
Maybe I should read past the headline...
So you're saying that I shouldn't donate anything to The Human Fund.
My favorite charity is The Me Foundation.
I'm a big fan of the Save The Moose Foundation. Donations can be made directly into my wallet. The two fives and six singles in there are feeling lonely, and uncle bank account is bare.
Whine over. Film at 11.
Send Lance Bass to Space should have been on the best-bang for the buck list.
Boys Choir of Harlem on the list of Charities in Deep Financial Trouble? I was fortunate enough to catch one of their performances. It'd be a shame if they shut their doors.
I donate the the Children's Hunger Fund because its the most efficient- 99 cents of every dollar goes directly to children in need. Unlike many charities where the majority of what you're giving goes to overhead and administrative BS
This posting reminded me of United Way and how corporations strong arm their employees to donate. Apparently Enterprise Car Rental tells them they need to donate to get promoted. My experience is many companies hint at it and make you feel like scum if you do not donate.
The thing is United Way is just a organization that takes a cut and donates to other charities - usually less than 50% of what you pay.
@frank64: I've been pretty thoroughly strongarmed by my institution over the years, and they don't even match funds. That particularly annoys me.
this is not the best metric to assess the effectiveness of your contributions to any particular charity.
a charity that teaches poodles how to dance with a high "bang for your buck" may not be as effective as a charity with a lower ratio that helps crippled children learn to walk.
Boy is their #1 shitty organization selection, Point of View Ministries, spot on. Has anybody else heard their dribble on the radio? They have a radio talk program (including calls, set-up I believe or very well screened) that airs here an hour or two a week: all hard right wing (small c) christian middle-aged white man hate mongering crap, presented as real news & objective commentary. As a (white middle-aged) Christian, I can't stand to listen. What a bunch of nut jobs.
I really wouldn't consider most religious organizations to be charities: I'm not sure any sort of propaganda (good, bad, accurate, or otherwise) machine is. Also, I'm not sure that any single set of metrics applied across the board really fits perfectly to assess every charity. Although with that in mind/consideration, it appears to be an excellent resource to start any personal assessment before donating. I found two of my favorite causes (Amnesty International & SPLC/Southern Poverty Law Center) to do OK with 3 stars.
@wvFrugan: Amnesty International is a little too quiet about human rights abuses against women in the Muslim world for me to take them seriously.
@Newman!!!!: That probably means the Children's Hunger Fund has a large endowment out of which they can afford to pay their "overhead and administrative BS." Sorry, but the food doesn't magically get into the hands of hungry kids. Non-profits and charities have staff because otherwise their charitable objective won't happen. Most are not rich enough (um, one reason staff are paid so little) to cover their costs from interest on investments.
Swimming in money? I wish. I am picking up change off the street.