About Donating to Charities

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There are thousands of non-profit organizations, churches, and concerned individuals that help the homeless, and low income, in a variety of ways. Some provide free meals for anyone coming in, phone use, a mailing address, free clothing, bicycles, and various personal items. Others provide clothing for a minimal cost. Some organizatiions provide a place for homeless people to stay, if only temporarily and just for the night.
With all these people seeking donations to maintain their services, how can you know that your donation is going to actually help those in need?

Years ago a person contacted me by email and asked if I needed assistance in getting an I.D. card. I didn't have I.D. at the time since mine had expired and all my identifying documents had been stolen. What I needed was to get a new copy of my birth certificate, social security card, and then a state I.D. card.
The person who wrote me said she was the director of a charitible foundation, and that she could help. After a number of months she sent me a check for eight dollars. This was nice, and I thanked her, but the cost of getting the birth certificate was about $25, and then the fee for the state I.D. Meanwhile, another person paid for the birth certificate, which I applied for myself. The state review process took about a month.
Later on, when checking the internet for my name, I discovered the person with the "foundation" was advertising that she had taken care of getting me all my I.D., and was looking for people to donate to her cause. I wrote back to her about it but no response.
After this experience I realized that the "foundation" was a phony scam operation. I wonder how much money she made by using my name in advertising?

A few years ago a particular small non-profit organization near St. Petersburg FL helped the local homeless by providing the use of a shower, some free clothes, free coffee & donuts, and some lunches. There was no indoor area, just picnic benches outside. The food was all donated, as were all the clothes. Typically around 20 to 30 people would visit each day. Years later, when checking on non-profits on the Internet, I discovered the budget for this little bit of help was over $70,000, mostly from government grants. Where did the money go? Evidently the "director" was paying herself well (partially evident by the luxury SUV she had). After a couple years the place closed, partially since not enough people went there to justify it's existance. With so little real help being provided it wasn't even worth the walk for most homeless in the area, even while the organization took in hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile some local churches provided free meals and clothes with just private donations.

There are huge non-profits that have offices and programs of various types all across the U.S., and take in billions in public donations and government grants. While these organizations present themselves as helping the homeless and low income, a great deal of the money just goes to administrative costs and advertising. There is an "emergency shelter" in St. Petersburg that offers beds for the night. Sounds very nice, but the beds are for a maximum of three nights per six month period, if you are fortunate enought to get in at all. To potential donors it sounds good, but to those on the street seeing what is really happening it's just another way to get money from mis-informed donors.

How can someone who would like to donate money where it will actually accomplish something sort out the legitimate organizations from the con-artists? There are listings of non-profits on the Internet. Guidestar (guidestar.org) is a major group that lists non-profits, and checks the validity of postings. Also, all non-profits have to register with the state for tax-exempt status. This shows they are real, but not how and where the money is spent.
If you want to donate to a local charity, it's a good idea to visit them and see for yourself. There are a lot of small non-profits and church programs that accomplish a great deal on small budgets. Often volunteers will help out without any financial gain. I have known several individuals that volunteered their time and effort every day without any pay, and very little thanks either.

In many area of the U.S. it is possible to dial 211, for free, and get information on local community services. It's a good way to find out what is going on, and how to donate or volunteer. 211.org
Logo above: 211tampabay.org

Community Voice Mail is available in many areas of the U.S. and makes it possible for those who can't afford a phone to leave a number with potential employers and family and check their voice mail messages anywhere (free on most pay-phones too).
communityvoicemail.com

Should people that are too old or disabled to work for a living have to spend the rest of their lives on the street?

Comments or suggestions? Contact me at clyde@homelessamerican.com

There is a tremendous need for donations all across the United States to maintain a wide variety of charitable groups that help the homeless and low-income. Often organizations that are providing real help to the community have to close due to lack of funding or volunteers. Sometimes they are forced to close by local government as a means of "eliminating the homeless problem". If you can help, look around your local area for those that are making a difference and spending donations where it counts.

When you donate to charity, do you know how it is being spent?

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