Volunteer and Charitable Donation Suggestions in Denver: Children's Organizations

'Tis the season for charitable giving and Denver has many options for you to choose from. The focus of this article is on services that benefit children and families.

The Adoption Exchange: http://www.adoptex.org

The Adoption Exchange works to find loving homes for Colorado children waiting for permanent families. Since its founding in 1983, 4,500 children have been placed. They also assist adoptive families by providing resource information and referrals, support, advocacy and education.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver: http://www.bgcmd.org

Since 1961, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver has been helping kids from tough neighborhoods in Denver and Aurora stay out of trouble, stay in school and succeed in life. This organization is one of the largest providers of after-school and summer programs in the Denver area, serving more than 22,000 youth annually at the agency's six clubs.

Children's Diabetes Foundation:http://www.childrensdiabetesfdn.com/

Established in 1977 by the Davis family, this organization is dedicated to the support of research in childhood diabetes and provides clinical and educational programs for children with diabetes. More than 5,000 children and young adults receive care at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes.

Colorado Bright Beginnings: http://www.brightbeginningsco.org

The first two years of a baby's life are where the most learning and development occurs. Bright Beginnings provides parents of children from birth to three years old with home visits and information on parenting, brain and child development, immunizations, child safety, bonding, and educational activities. Programs are offered at no cost to families of children zero to three years of age, regardless of income or any other criteria. Since 1955, Bright Beginnings has reached nearly 13,000 families.

Families First: http://www.familiesfirstcolorado.org

Families First offers parent support groups, parent education classes, and a statewide Family Support Hotline to aid in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Since opening it's doors in 1986, Families First has helped more than 4,800 families each year.

Girls, Inc. of Metro Denver:http://www.girlsincdenver.org

Girls Inc. offers innovative, educational programs that prepare girls ages six to 11 to succeed in school and create confident and successful futures - helping girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Girls Inc. of Metro Denver touches the lives of over 3,000 youth annually and partners with over 80 community organizations to reach girls all over the metro area.

Food Bank of the Rockieshttp://www.ceaf.org/

Founded in 1978, Food Bank of the Rockies distributed more than 20.5 million pounds of food last year, enough to provide 43,000 meals daily to needy children and families. Food Bank of the Rockies works with other agencies to provide food supplies to more than 900 hunger-relief programs.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Denverhttp://www.ronaldhouse.org/

Known as "The House That Love Built, the Ronald McDonald House provides a home away from home for families while their children undergo medical treatment. The average stay for families is 22 days and the house is full almost every night. Families are asked to pay $15 per night, but never turned away due to inability to pay. A new house opened by the downtown Children's Hospital in 2001. With the expansion of the Fitzsimmon's Medical Center in Aurora, there is a need for a second house too.

Special Olympics Colorado: http://www.specialolympicsco.org/

Special Olympics Colorado offers year-round activities in an Olympic-style setting for children and adults with special needs and disabilities. More than 8,700 athletes participate in a variety of sports that help them gain physical fitness and confidence.

WarrenVillage: http://www.warrenvillage.org/

Warren Village helps low-income, single parents make the transition from public assistance to being self-sufficient. Programs offered include job training, child care, subsidized housing and counseling. Children benefit from the care at the Greta Horwitz Learning Center, which care for children from six weeks to twelve years. Since 1974, Warren Village has helped over 3,000 families.

As you choose a charitable organization, here are a few tips to help you give wisely:

Don't send cash. For security and tax record purposes, pay by check. Write the official name of the charity on your check.

Ask for written information. A legitimate charity will give you information outlining its mission, how your donation will be distributed, and proof that your contribution is tax deductible.

Ask for identification. Many states require paid fund-raisers to identify themselves as such and to name the charity for which they're soliciting.

Watch out for similar sounding names. Some phony charities use names that sound or look like those of respected, legitimate organizations.

Be wary of guaranteed sweepstakes winnings in exchange for your contribution. You never have to donate to be eligible to win.

Consider the costs. When buying merchandise or receiving free goods for giving, remember that these items are paid for out of your contribution. That means less of your donation may go to the charity.