Quote:
Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby
Always check Charity Navigator when you're thinking about donating to a charity.
Charity Ratings and Donor Resources | Charity Navigator
My mom used to donate thousands to dozens of "charities" every year, because she was put on a list after donating to a single "charity". Once they got her money the first time, they knew she was good for a lot more, and her name/address was sold to listing services.
"Oh but OBB daughter-dear, look, they sent me these greeting cards that they make by hand! The money is going to benefit children at St. Joseph's Indian School!"
No mom - it isn't. St. Joseph's is a tiny 200-student Catholic boarding school that gets around $51 million PER YEAR from donations. The children depicted in the letters you get don't exist, and the crappy cards you buy are mass-produced in another state in a big print-shop on sub-standard semi-matte card stock. The dream-catchers they give you are made in China.
These "save the puppies" and "save the poor Indians" and "save the starving kids in 3rd world countries" organizations are mostly what's known as "poverty porn." It is very carefully produced and created to tug on the heart strings of well-meaning but easily-fooled people.
If you want to really help unwanted animals, go to the local shelter and volunteer, or buy some pet food and save your newspapers and bring it all over to them. They need those never-read sections of the Daily sun to line the cages. |
Well said, though to be fair, that Charity Navigator gives the ASPCA an 83% rating and says that 75% of what is raised goes to help animals (well, that may include education which may or may not be accurate about the mistreatment of animals), 20% to fundraising, and just under 5% to administrative costs.