There’s always Charity Navigator, they rate charities based on financial health and accountability, at least. I’ve not heard any controversy with it, for what it’s worth
Another great charity evaluator is https://www.givewell.org/. Their mission is to find charities that save or improve lives the most per dollar spent, and their findings are research-backed and evidence-based. 100% of your donation goes to the charity you support. They also evaluate the lowest cost to save a human life, which is currently about $3k-$5k. Their top rated charities are involved in malaria prevention:
When charities are written in law as a way to get tax discounts, it’s no wonder the majority becomes scams. Charities are also a great example of the govt failing to do it’s own damn job
Child’s Play is my go-to. They provide video games and consoles to hospitalized and often terminally ill children who literally can’t go out and play. It was founded by the creators of Penny Arcade back in the early 2000s and so far to my knowledge hasn’t had a single controversy or hint of anything nefarious. It’s just nerds helping other, young, sick nerds/would-be-nerds get their nerd on.
I mean Doctors Without Borders definitely does more important work on the balance, but giving pediatric terminal cancer patients countless hours of joy isn’t a trivial thing either.
That’s my go-to, personally. MSF (Doctors Without Borders) could nearly get away with puppy murder and still be “good”. The amount of risk that they take on to help those in need is remarkable.
In college I had support to do something very similar to engineers without borders just under a different name but in conjunction with the program. They required a certain donation level to ensure that the work we did had the needed materials paid for and could compensate the local workers involved. That’s what I was told. I wasn’t auditing anything but it seemed above board. I was able to engage with doctors without borders members while there. All were committed to the cause. Many were from the same part of the world if not “state/province” and giving back after they were able to make more money elsewhere. Just about all were hardcore. We have 5000 to treat in 7 days type of hardcore. Bedside manner wasn’t what you’d expect in the US, but it was about helping as many people as you could as effectively as you could. Truly eye opening though. I can’t say anything about the organization, but the people who were first hand there either gathered the donations or donated themselves and went there to make a difference. I respect the hell out of those people.
Damn it, it’s so hard to find reputable good charities. So many of them are are either religious freaks or straight up scams.
Can we share lists of actual good charities?
I usually give to doctors without borders… Fingers crossed somone doesn’t reply to me they kill puppies or something…
There’s always Charity Navigator, they rate charities based on financial health and accountability, at least. I’ve not heard any controversy with it, for what it’s worth
Another great charity evaluator is https://www.givewell.org/. Their mission is to find charities that save or improve lives the most per dollar spent, and their findings are research-backed and evidence-based. 100% of your donation goes to the charity you support. They also evaluate the lowest cost to save a human life, which is currently about $3k-$5k. Their top rated charities are involved in malaria prevention:
When charities are written in law as a way to get tax discounts, it’s no wonder the majority becomes scams. Charities are also a great example of the govt failing to do it’s own damn job
Child’s Play is my go-to. They provide video games and consoles to hospitalized and often terminally ill children who literally can’t go out and play. It was founded by the creators of Penny Arcade back in the early 2000s and so far to my knowledge hasn’t had a single controversy or hint of anything nefarious. It’s just nerds helping other, young, sick nerds/would-be-nerds get their nerd on.
I mean Doctors Without Borders definitely does more important work on the balance, but giving pediatric terminal cancer patients countless hours of joy isn’t a trivial thing either.
That’s my go-to, personally. MSF (Doctors Without Borders) could nearly get away with puppy murder and still be “good”. The amount of risk that they take on to help those in need is remarkable.
In college I had support to do something very similar to engineers without borders just under a different name but in conjunction with the program. They required a certain donation level to ensure that the work we did had the needed materials paid for and could compensate the local workers involved. That’s what I was told. I wasn’t auditing anything but it seemed above board. I was able to engage with doctors without borders members while there. All were committed to the cause. Many were from the same part of the world if not “state/province” and giving back after they were able to make more money elsewhere. Just about all were hardcore. We have 5000 to treat in 7 days type of hardcore. Bedside manner wasn’t what you’d expect in the US, but it was about helping as many people as you could as effectively as you could. Truly eye opening though. I can’t say anything about the organization, but the people who were first hand there either gathered the donations or donated themselves and went there to make a difference. I respect the hell out of those people.