Recommend charities where a little money really helps

[Anonymous]

I am starting to think about my end-of-year tax planning and I would like to find a charity (or maybe two) where I can give a little money and have it really make a difference. My DH and I have some charities that we support together, but I have had a better than average year at work (after being a SAHM for a number of years) and would like to find a charity that I can support on my own. My sister supports a micro loan charity, but I have read mixed reviews on whether or not they really help people, although I like the idea. I heard a story on NPR this morning about a man in Nigeria who lost his donkey and a replacement donkey for $140 would change his life. I really wanted to buy him a new donkey (and I would bet that one of the NPR staffers on that story did just that). If you had $3000-$5000 to give, where would you give?

[Anonymous]

I would pick something out from the Catalog for Philanthropy: https://www.cfp-dc.org/cfpdc/index.php

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would pick something out from the Catalog for Philanthropy: https://www.cfp-dc.org/cfpdc/index.php

What a great site! I never knew something like this existed. Thanks for posting.

[Anonymous]

https://givedirectly.org/

They just give money to extremely poor people in Africa. The people use if for their greatest need: Adding a roof to their house, buying livestock, investing in a sewing machine, paying school bills, and so on.

Many recipients explain what they used it for here: https://live.givedirectly.org/

A long article here:

http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2017/08/07/541609649/how-to-fix-poverty-why-not-just-give-people-money

[Anonymous]

We support a school in Tanzania called Faraja for children born with severe physical disabilities. It's a residential school with about 95 children and what gets accomplished with every dollar donated is amazing - education, medical care etc. The total cost per student is only about $2,500 a year and the children live on campus ten months so you know that $100 goes a long way. A link is attached. Finally....good for you!

http://www.farajaschool.org/

[Anonymous]

A local charity that I believe really makes a difference is Alice's Kids. www.aliceskids.org. This is from their website:

Alice’s Kids is a non-profit organization that provides short term financial assistance to children with an immediate need. Relying on referrals from almost 500 teachers, social workers and counselors, Alice’s Kids pays for the desired item and, to preserve the dignity of the child, we do so anonymously.

Our goal is to help raise the self-esteem of a child in need. Children with healthy self-esteem feel good about themselves. They do better in school.They are more successful.

We believe a little help can go a long way.

[Anonymous]

Homeless Children's Playtime Project does great things for homeless kids in DC.

[Anonymous]

Salvation Army - more of your dollar goes direct to the victims than any other charity on the planet, including Catholic Charities.

[Anonymous]

Little Sisters of the Poor does amazing work. They provide hospice and nursing home care to destitute seniors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would pick something out from the Catalog for Philanthropy: https://www.cfp-dc.org/cfpdc/index.php

+1 for the Catalogue for Philanthropy

[Anonymous]

Direct Relief -> http://directrelief.org/

Charity Water -> https://www.charitywater.org/

We donate 10%+ of HHI each month, or 12k per year primarily to these two.

[Anonymous]

What are your interests? Local/national/international? Direct service? Policy? Hunger/poverty/environmental/arts/justice?

[Anonymous]

Dining for Women

You don't have to be part of a local chapter; you can give directly. The groups they fund are rigorosly vetted, and a small donation goes a very long way.

[Anonymous]

Charity Water doesn't need your money.

OP, talk a little more about your values and passions. Do you want to make a difference for people here at home, or internationally? Is lifting people out of poverty most important to you, or are there health & wellness issues you'd like support? Or are you more concerned about animal welfare? Or furthering the arts? So many ways to do good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would pick something out from the Catalog for Philanthropy: https://www.cfp-dc.org/cfpdc/index.php

+1 for the Catalogue for Philanthropy

As someone who just went through the process of getting my nonprofit in there, I can tell you that the process to be listed is pretty rigorous.