I don't think you can lump them all into one category. There are plenty of good charities that run on shoe string budgets. The larger the charity, probably the more red tape and cost of running it so the less actually going to the cause.

You can check on your favorite charities here. Some are better than othere.

Here is a link that might be useful: Charity Navigator

Holly,
I sympathize. When money is tight, you want your donations to go to those who need it, not those who administer!
We give, but we make sure that the recipients are local and that the need is truly there. It takes a bit more time and effort, but we feel good about the money/clothing/time/food we are able to share with others.

Well, any organization has expenses, even if they're run honestly. So part of your money gets eaten up paying salaries, utility bills, postage, printing costs, advertising, and other normal expenses.

We all know people who have hit hard times for one reason or another (economy, health issues, etc). I don't know why more people don't do as we do--just give directly to those we know who need a little extra help. That way, 100% of your money gets to those who need it. You can give to them annonymously, if that's easier (gift cards to the grocery store or Target, or pay their utility bill for them, etc). Only downside I can see is that you don't get a tax deduction, but that's not really as important to me, as doing the best I can to help someone who needs a hand.

At my church we had a situation where the husband of a member was very ill and could not work. They were a young couple, and there were two small children. We knew they would be embarrassed to receive $$, so we started a "Whisper" project for them. It was called Whisper because it was never announced, the word was just spread from person to person.

We individually sent cash money in an envelope with no return address, each week. I think that is an ideal way to help.

Sue

We never give to national charities. We choose local ones where we can look at the annual reports and have a good idea they are 'squeezing the nickels'. We don't give much to 'feel good' organizations either. Our major contributions go to meet people's basic needs: food, housing, medical care.

I've sent gift cards and certificates in the mail with a thinking of you card unsigned. Its a GOOD feeling to help someone out.

My Mom will be gone 20 years next month, she was diagnosed with cancer and wasn't able to work with the treatments, she still had bills to pay. It was very hard for her, she did have a very small amount of savings. 3 different times someone sent her $50 and $75 cash in the mail, with the last one being in December. She was OVERWHELMED with their generosity. She cried when she got them it meant so much!

I think any big charitable organization - like any big company or any big government - is going to have more bureaucracy and require more $ to fuel it. Smaller = less overhead and less waste. I too don't care for the "feel good" stuff. I prefer the ones that focus on the truly down and out - people who need food, clothing, shelter, etc.

I have a relative who has schizophrenia - he's just a heartbeat away from being homeless through no fault of his own. I think many people have no idea how hard life is for some poor souls.

My late DH was required to give 1% of his bi-monthly pay to United Way for over 30 years. When he passed away, I did NOT continue to donate to any charity such as UW or RC, but instead, now donate to no-kill animal shelters. I also give to people that I see who need a little help over a tough place. It makes me feel good that I can help these groups/people, and my donations go where they can do a lot of good.

I donate to our Meals on Wheels and our local Salvation Army....it stays in our community.

I got all kinds of flak when I worked for the school district when I hadn't returned my pledge for United Way. The pressure went on and I finally gave in. I sent my pledge.... with a big fat ZERO on it. Of course I got a couple phone calls about it and I finally said that group stopped supporting diabetes and cancer so I don't support them anymore. I get tired of these charity "mafias" extorting money from people. And especially at the time when my funds were short.

I really like to support the local groups. I especially like to contribute "in kind" rather than cash. It just seems like the canned food is more likely to get to someone in need than the cash sometimes. And again, I know I sound like a broken record but I applaud people who volunteer time. Help serve meals, deliver Meals on Wheels, shovel a handicapped neighbor's walk or the like. That goes a long way.

That happened to me years ago when I was working. A person came and gave us a "pep" talk about United Way and then our manager said we all had to contribute so our branch could make the 100% quota. I asked my usual dumb question, like if I request it to go to the Boy Scouts, how will it affect the amount UW give? Answer: for each donation I make, UW takes that amount off the amount they give. So they receive the same, but not more like they should. So finally I put down 1% and yes it did affect my evaluation on work.
Now I do try to give both local and with limited national.

I don't give to large national charities.

I do give to local charities that are run by volunteers, not salaried personnel.

I give both time and money to a local Meals for shut-ins and frail seniors that doesn't charge the recipients, and all meals are home cooked by volunteers, through a network of churches of all denominations. NO salaries or expenses at all.

It's good to give locally. I give to our schools and homeless shelter, directly. I also donate to a couple of animal sanctuaries which keep animals which are injured or zoo rejects. These organizations really need help.

I heard on the radio that when you get those telemarketer-type calls requesting donations, they take a large percentage off the top.

I usually drop a handfull of spare change in the Sal. Army bucket at the grocery store.

I didn't do the united way at the place I used to work either. They begged, pleaded whatever. They asked for a one time donation, and not taken out of my check every week. Said no thank you. I want to give where I want to give. All the store manager was interested in was the print out sent to corporate showing 100% participation. I do NOT think that it is right for companies to demand a donation and have it effect your employment if you don't . that is WRONG!

whoops! I forgot to ask Holly... where's your buddy, Heather? she's been mia! or I'm blind... which is more than likely the case! lol

I deliver Meals on Wheels. The food is cooked in our hospital cafeteria.

We've been donating to H.O.M.E. in Chicago for a long time. (Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly) They help needy seniors to find apartments, provide furnishings and help seniors maintain their own homes, and now have a couple of group homes for seniors. They provide transportation to groceries and doctors. This was founded by a couple who'd been active with Little Brothers, Friends of the Poor.

I like animals as much as anyone. We've had dogs all our married life. I'm in favor of community programs that engage teens and seniors, but...book clubs and art classes and playing bridge are merely *nice* compared to helping people who have no homes, no beds, no food, no heat. You can't enjoy 'mental health' while you're starving. (This *attitude* of mine is why I don't support United Way -- way too many *niceties* and not enough *basics*.)

One of our charites is a food bank. Another is a hospice -- not the one on the North Shore with plenty of income from the well-to-do, but one in the city where the majority of patients can't pay for care.

Kat - Heather is fine - just busy these days. She sponsors two families through Project Share at Christmas. This year she had one family with four girls and one family with a single boy. These families will have a very nice Christmas! I enjoy helping her with a small contribution of toys along the way.

I won't go into details but I was once the founding director of a small animal fundraising charity. At the end of the first year four out of the five of us resigned largely due to the "entitlement" demands of the fifth member. We were all supposedly volunteers and donating our time and related costs was what the four of us believed we were doing. We wanted 100% to go to the animals as we had advertised. I put in considerable time and effort and personal cost into this endeavour. I'm still very bitter. Animals will benefit by this charity. It will do well and I hope it does but unfortunately not as well as it could because of the funds being depleted due to the "entitlements" of the volunteers. This is an ethical issue that must be debated by all charities no matter the size and everyone donating to them. I now continue to make several thousand animal toys a year which are donated directly to several animal welfare groups and I can only hope the profits or the use of the toys directly benefits animals.