Donating

[tantricia44]

Thanks to the Obama administration's pushing the Reps to stop dragging on voting for tax cuts for us b4 X-mas.I have 40 bucks extra to donate.Thanks to FC since,I get some monies from this site,I also can donate more to help charities. I started donating for the animals in need.The thing is,it was weird,next thing I know, I'm getting huge requests to donate to many different organizations!I wonder how did they find out; I'm donating?Also,some the organizations I'm not familiar with, organizations like from a University for American Indians.I would like to donate but I don't know,if it's legit or a scam.I don't even know if I can donate since,I'm not American Indian.:dontknow:I would like to give to those less fortunate but I don't want to give,if my donations are being stolen. Please, if any FC members have any knowledge or experience in this area please share your knowledge.

[mawhite63]

You can always go out to GuideStar.com and look up the financials and legitimacy of any organization you're unsure of.

Personally, when I donate I like to keep it local within my county. I don't give money to anyone who calls on the phone, because those are usually boiler room operations which give very little to the organization they're fundraising for, and more often than not are outright scams. They also sell your information, which could be why you've suddenly started getting requests. They know they've got a "live one".

I donate to local organizations like Friends of the Animal Shelter, or local food banks and charities that help out people in need.

[Abrupt]

I think you are wise to have concerns about where you donate.  I prefer to keep donations as local as I can, and although that may not necessarily be any sounder it at least gives me the illusion of seeing how the money is used.  You can also use it to help others to your discretion (buy a meal for a veteran, or someone with a large family that you know could use it, or something similar that you know where the need is and that the person is deserving), and the only trick here is trying to keep it anonymous.

[ninajay]

I like to donate form time to time, but there are so many scams , you really must be careful. I like to donate to charities I'm familiar with and I avoid those people sitting in front of the grocery stores.