Credible Christmas Charities: Safe Places to Donate this Holiday

While you are out shopping for Christmas presents - or presents for the holiday that you celebrate - you might consider giving to a charity that helps families out during the holidays. There are many families out there who are struggling just to get by, and the holidays are just an added strain. Many children, maybe even some of those in your neighborhood, may go without a single present this holiday season, maybe even without a meal, so why not add donating to your holiday to-do list? But before you do that you want to make sure that whatever charity you choose to give to is going to give a majority of their proceeds to those who actually need it, rather than using it to fatten their own pockets. So, how can you be sure that you are giving to those in need rather than those who are hiding behind the word "charity"?

The Better Business Bureau has a website dedicated entirely to allowing those who want to donate to know where their money is going. Give.org has an alphabetical list of charities, and by simply clicking on the charity that you are interested in you can find out whether or not they meet the BBB's requirements for a credible charity. What are their requirements you ask? In short they require that a charity use 65% of their proceeds to help those they claim to help, no more than 35% for fund-raising ventures, and that they not stockpile the funds they raise, but rather use them to help those who need help asap. You can find a more complete list of their requirements at http://give.org/standards/newcbbbstds.asp. Below are three charities that are credible according to the BBB's standards.

Name:

Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

Address:
715 Broadway Street, Suite 300 MCA Annex
Quantico, VA 22134
Phone:
703-640-9433

Web Address:www.toysfortots.org

Many people are familiar with Toys for Tots and those gift wrapped boxes, filled to overflowing with newly purchased toys, that can be found at most department stores. Toys for Tots has long been praised for their success in helping to make many children's holiday season a little bit brighter with a special toy. I remember picking out toys at Target every year with my mom to put in the Toys for Tots bin and even at a young age it felt really good to know that I was doing something to help someone who truly needed it. Why not start a tradition with your children, nieces, nephews, or just a neighborhood child by taking them to pick out a few toys for someone less fortunate than themselves. You may just be starting a tradition that they will continue with their own children.

Name:

Covenant House

Address:
346 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011
Phone:
212-727-4000

Web Address:www.covenanthouse.org

Covenant House is a charity that provides housing for the homeless and youth runaways. Beyond shelter, covenant house also provides food, clothing, and crisis services. It can get pretty cold out there during the Holiday months, so why not donate to this charity and allow someone to enjoy a white Christmas, rather than freeze in it? You never know what a small donation can do for someone else, that one more night in a warm bed may just be the rest they need to find a good paying job.

Name:

Prison Fellowship Ministries

Address:
44180 Riverside Parkway
Lansdowne, VA 20176
Phone:
703-478-0100

Web Address:www.prisonfellowship.org
also known as: Angel Tree
also known as: BreakPoint
also known as: Operation Starting Line

The Prison Fellowship Ministries has a program during the Holiday season called Angel Tree. This program delivers gifts to children of prisoners along with the gospel message of hope in the name of their parent who is incarcerated. This charity especially touches me because when people think of the holidays they often think of family. It breaks my heart to think of children who can't spend the holidays with a member of their family, especially when the circumstances keeping them from having their whole family for the holidays is completely out of their control. A donation to this charity will help to at least bring the essence of that missing family member to their holiday.

No matter what charity you may choose to donate to this holiday season, make sure you do your research. It is important to know how much of your donation will go to those who truly need it. I hope that you and your family have a wonderful holiday season and that you elect to help someone else's holiday be a little brighter.