You can help area charities as part of #GivingTuesday. The Better Business Bureau is offering ways you can help, along with donation tips.
According to a survey conducted by the Wise Giving Alliance, quite often people say trust is important before donating to charity. When thinking about how to help, it doesn't always have to be through a contribution. Sometimes it's a kind gesture.Â
When thinking about how to help, it doesn't always have to be through a contribution. Sometimes it's a kind gesture -
• Donating supplies for local healthcare workers, first responders, and advocating for them.
• Give to the community organizations where the resources and services stay in your community.
• Support small businesses by buying gift cards, connecting with them through social media, or writing an online review.
• Checking in with neighbors, relatives, seniors or veterans using social distancingÂ
Before committing to making a contribution, make certain it's an organization that is verifiable and legitimate.
• Watch out for name similarities. When charities seek support for the same cause, their names can look similar. Before you give, be sure you have the exact name of the charity to avoid a case of mistaken identity.
• Be cautious about newly created coronavirus charities. While well intended, they may be less effective than more experienced groups and are harder to check out without a track record.•Â
• Consider your favorite causes. All types of charities need your support at this time, not just the ones that address coronavirus issues.
• Don’t rely on stories and passion alone in assessing trust. Most charities use stories to help describe their mission and motivate individuals to donate. Emotional pleas, however, are not a reliable indicator to verify trust. Look beyond the passion to see if the charity clearly indicates what specific activities your generosity will support.
• Don’t focus excessively on financial ratios. While financial ratios are an important part of a charity’s overall picture, excessive focus on low overhead spending can be misguided and potentially harmful to an organization’s capacity for service. Also, some charities have already experienced financial hardships due to the impact of the virus.
• Rely on standards-based evaluations. Help verify the trustworthiness of charities by reviewing the in-depth evaluations that specify if the subject charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. Get free access to charity reports at Give.org.
(BBB contributed to this report.)
