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Katrina Organization to Donate to?

Black IceBlack Ice Charlotte, NCRegistered User regular
edited January 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
I want to donate some money to a Katrina relief organization. Does anyone know of some reputed ones that don't guzzle money or shave some of it off, as I've heard about? Is the Red Cross a better organization to donate to instead? I have between $100-200, and I want to know that every penny is getting to someone that needs it.

Black Ice on

Posts

  • JHunzJHunz Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Pretty much any large charitable organization is going to eat part of your donation for administrative costs. This includes the Red Cross.

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  • SzechuanosaurusSzechuanosaurus Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2008
    Which is to say, don't worry about it. Think about the logistical and administrative expenses of not only getting aid to places but even just processing donations from a wide variety of sources from collection boxes to online credit card donations to large one-off donations from big companies.

    The administrative costs are generally necessary and worth it, because they allow the organisations to process and supply much more aid than they would otherwise.

    Szechuanosaurus on
  • meekermeeker Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Might I ask why Katrina? I am sure there are some local organizations that could use the money more effieciently and maybe you could donate your time as well, to actually see your money at work.

    I suspect any money donated to Katrina would be money thrown away...

    meeker on
  • FatsFats Corvallis, ORRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Habitat for Humanity is quite active in New Orleans, though there's no guarantee your funds would go directly there.

    Edit: Actually, you can donate directly to the Gulf recovery effort.

    Fats on
  • The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2008
    meeker wrote: »
    Might I ask why Katrina? I am sure there are some local organizations that could use the money more effieciently and maybe you could donate your time as well, to actually see your money at work.

    I suspect any money donated to Katrina would be money thrown away...

    And why would that be?

    OP: stick with the big names, there's plenty of stories around about people who've set up small charities in the wake of a number of large disasters and just kept the monies. Plus, the big ones have better logistics networks so they're actually more likely to be efficient when working inside a developed country.

    The Cat on
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  • kaliyamakaliyama Left to find less-moderated fora Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    OK. Even if all organizations have overhead- which they do, there are certainly comparative advantages to be had. Google-fu provides: http://www.charitynavigator.org/

    kaliyama on
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  • Black IceBlack Ice Charlotte, NCRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    meeker wrote: »
    Might I ask why Katrina? I am sure there are some local organizations that could use the money more effieciently and maybe you could donate your time as well, to actually see your money at work.

    I do volunteer my time locally. I hear that organizations appreciate volunteer work more than donations. However, I mention Katrina because I feel that someone without a home needs money more than someone having trouble paying the electric bill for their home.
    Fats wrote: »
    Habitat for Humanity is quite active in New Orleans, though there's no guarantee your funds would go directly there.

    Edit: Actually, you can donate directly to the Gulf recovery effort.

    I think I might choose the latter. But, I'm not familiar with the organization; as The Cat said, maybe I should just stick to some big name organizations. I'm sure the organization is legitimate but it would pester me to no end to donate a substantial amount of money for it to be lost in the donation process or something petty like that.

    Black Ice on
  • nosnibornosnibor Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    http://www.CharityWatch.org

    http://www.CharityNavigator.org

    nosnibor on
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  • meekermeeker Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    The Cat wrote: »
    meeker wrote: »
    Might I ask why Katrina? I am sure there are some local organizations that could use the money more effieciently and maybe you could donate your time as well, to actually see your money at work.

    I suspect any money donated to Katrina would be money thrown away...

    And why would that be?

    Because of the complete clusterfuck and corruption that have plagued NO since Katrina. And most big organizations will be more than ready to take your money, but will seldom allow you to direct how it is handled.
    However, I mention Katrina because I feel that someone without a home needs money more than someone having trouble paying the electric bill for their home.

    And I am sure there are plenty of people locally who are homeless as well.

    meeker on
  • Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    While I agree with meeker on avoiding donating to Katrina for the exact same reasons - if you do decide to go that route, I agree with habitat for humanity. At least that way you know the money is going directly into building supplies to make homes. They are one of the only large charities I would trust with my $$.

    Lindsay Lohan on
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