HELP, please--Which charities should I give to?

[DerekG]

My liberalism was forged since I began reading the Gospels at the age of four. I'm 21 years old now, and though I have always sought to treat people with dignity and compassion, I have not gone that extra mile and reached out to the destitute (with the exception of can-food drives, which practically EVERYONE participates in, anyway). This has pained me, because two of my heroes (among many others) are Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, who themselves died in their converging quest to alleviate the suffering felt by so many in this country.

I really need to know: what specific charities have the BEST record in respect to giving all (or most) of the donations to the poor?

Is it better to give my old clothes to the Salvation Army or to the good will?

Is there a website that lists the addresses and/or information of soup kitchens and homeless shelters (I live in New York State) ?

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I just don't know where to start.

[childslibrarian]

1. You give me hope for the future

check out
http://www.guidestar.org/

[Nite Owl]

2. Food Bank

Here's a site for a food bank.http://www.secondharvest.org/default.asp



I also give to Make a Wish and The Southern Poverty Law Center. Don't know if they are the most 'efficient' with the money but I like what they do.

[Bronco69]

3. The Salvation Army is anti-gay

so I would avoid them.

[Booberdawg]

5. Ack! I didn't know that! I will avoid them from now on.

[DerekG]

6. I heard something about that...

Even though I think that's terrible, I would still give to the organization if I knew the money and/or clothes would go to families.

[Booberdawg]

4. For one, I give everything away to the Salvation Army

or the Good Will, and always gave to the United Way through work, and then I've always given to Special Olympics and other local Special Citizens Organizations and volunteered for them.

Because my son was mentally handicapped I discovered how delightful they are to be around anyway, so I enjoyed working with them and enjoyed activities with the other kids.

Also if your area has a Meals on Wheels program you can volunteer to give the volunteers a break over the Holidays and deliver the meals. That's something I could do while working full-time because I had the holidays off.

[NaMeaHou]

7. Check out the local needs

What is the biggest need in your area? Food bank? Shelter?

I donate to local groups only these days. They spend the money here, and there is very little "administrative overhead"

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. Though they don't give directly to the poor,

Refugees International lets the world know about refugee situations, and goes about trying to find organizations and individuals who can help with problems. These folks walk their talk. They take no funds from any government or the UN. Their board of directors, which includes folks from around the world, pay their own way when they go to check out refugee situations. In 1999, Directors David and Penny McCall put up their own money to set up a satellite phone system in Kosovo/Albania so that refugees who had fled that region could phone and talk to relatives who stayed behind, and make sure things were ok. In setting up the system, the McCalls were killed when their jeep slipped off the side of a mountain.

RI has always told things like they are, and is not afraid to stand up to governments. They have been quite active in telling the US and the UN about Iraq-they were letting folks know about the disaster to come way back in October 2002. They are still outspoken, and they know how to let folks know what is going on.

Check out their website at www.refugeesinternational.org Even if you can't donate right now (they graciously and gladly accept donations of any size, even if it is only a buck or two), read their articles. They can be a real eye opener. They also make for good sources when you are having that political discussion over the dinner table.

[Ilsa]

9. The "Ilsa is a Fab Mom and needs a spa trip" charity account.

No, really, look for some local ones. We have a lady here who takes kids in and makes certain they are dressed, fed, in school, etc. No religious pressures or anything.

I also like Planned Parenthood, March of Dimes, American Cancer Society, local elem school, my church (heathen that I am), a political campaign, women's shelters, Disabled Veterans of America, to name a few.