‘Tis the Season
Posted by: Barbara Bibel
The holidays are upon us. Both your e-mail and snail-mail boxes are full of appeals from ostensibly worthy causes in need of funding. You are thinking about helping those in need as well as about possible tax breaks. How do you know where to put your hard-earned dollars? Which charities are real and which ones are scams? Charity Navigator can help you decide. Go to www.charitynavigator.org. This site is produced by a non-profit that does not accept funds from the charities that it evaluates. Each organization is rated for financial health as well as for accountability and transparency. Each organization receives from 0 to 4 stars based on an examination of records. The site explains its methods clearly. It also offers Top 10 lists, current news about charities,and a place for users to create and share portfolios of charities (free registration required). So go ahead and give, but check the organization out first. Happy holidays!
