most worthy charity.

[Cedarman]

I, like most of you don't give to organized charities because of lack of accountability.
Our church has grouped with other churches in the area to help people in need.  They vet the people who need the money and help those that need it the most.  100% of the money donated goes to that purpose.  Once a month our rep asks for donations and  gives updates on the people that needed help and  why they needed it.  Usually they need just a short term infusion to pay off a water bill, late rent, or electric bill.  They also help run the local food pantry.  Our country just got its first stop light at an interstate ramp, so you can see we are rather rural.  Hardee's opens the 15 of Fed, at the new truck stop , making it the second fast food place after Subway at the other truck stop, in the county.  A lot of poor people here, but you do not see any panhandling.  Only in the neighboring county near a big box store.

[kantuckid]

After asking Jeff that my 2nd post be deleted, I'm returning to my original point that there are means to evaluate the main charity groups via web groups who objectively rate them based on the factors which matter, aside from the actual group/s they intend to serve-which you can decide for yourself.

In reading my Telephone Co-ops magazine this a.m., I read an article that touches the subject directly of Doc's thread-charity giving.  
The article tells of a local Search and Rescue Group from a small rural, adjoining county which functions in mine and other counties in the Red River Gorge Geological Area near my home. The article informs me that they do over 60 remote rescues annually, more than any similar group in the state of KY. Our area is visited by not only state park people but over a million climbers and hikers from all over the world. That group operates with basically zero local or state funding, uses an old duct taped truck and jeep for rescues and mostly self-funded and a few fund raisers. They competed this year in a FB based competition via a video and won a new Range Rover outfitted for their rescue use. I need to check it out-they are Wolfe County KY Search & Rescue on their FB page. Thats an e.g. of a local NGO who gets not much at all from the local or state government but performs a dangerous public service. Most of their rescues are either cliff related and what's called steep incline rope rescues and swift water rescues from the Red Rivers upper and lower stream use by kayakers and canoeist. They make the news in my end of KY really often. One last fall event was a small boy who'd fallen way down off a cliff then rescued by his own Dad who managed to climb/slide down the cliff and the little guy was all right. Many do die here each year from rock face falls-climbers and sometimes drunk hikers or night walkers in the gorge.
Look locally is the larger point I guess.

Need I say-Churches and religion don't make great opinion topics on a public forum? 
When my wife was a social worker in early 1970's, her clients were of two groups-families, of which she had nearly 200 and an impossible task! I remember telling her that a paperboy throws hardly that many newspapers let alone do much more as she was asked to perform. Her other group was indigent people who had ended up there in KS but had no means to travel, eat, clothe, or house themselves.  The Salvation Army was hands down her go to group that always came through no matter what. They have very recently suffered some bad publicity which I hope donors don't buy into because one member of their group mouthed off . But nowadays information often is taken off the web and used often wrongly. Kind of like having contact with one bad clerk and not shopping a store as people will do.     

[doc henderson]

some great ideas.  we often call on "first call for help" and they will give a voucher to be seen in the free clinic, and will fill non narcotic prescriptions for people on a yearly per person basis.  My suspicions are high when the commercials are highly produced as well.  After 40 years in medicine, i still care for people, but the more you "try" to tug my heart strings, the more I look a little closer.  Right or wrong.  I will look close to home.  any other ideas of local stuff in your areas that may be in need?  Thanks all.

[hacknchop]

Some religious groups will make providing food as part of their ministry inadvertently creating what are referred to as rice Christians. 

[scsmith42]

My wife is the Medical Director for a 501c3 non profit veterinary surgical group that specializes in providing low cost spay and neuter, with an emphasis on helping very low income clients. SNAP-NC: Spay Neuter Assistance Program of North Carolina

Their mission is to reduce the euthanasia rates in animal shelters by reducing the number of unwanted puppies and kittens that end up there.

One shelter that they serve used to have a 99% kill rate. Ie if 100 animals came in the front door, 99 of them went out the back door.

That shelter credits Snap-NC with getting the kill rate down into the 60% range.

Over 50% of the animals that Snap operates on have never been to a Veterinarian before.

Donations are used to subsidize their lowest income clients, or for capital expenditures such as new mobile hospitals. But most donations go to the subsidy program so that folks on public assistance only have a $20 co-pay.

100% of the donations are used for the above purposes. Nothing is used for overhead, staff, etc.

They have performed almost 200,000 sterilizations since the program started 22 years ago. Yes, it's local to the 13 counties surrounding Raleigh, NC buts it's still a great cause and organization.

[mike_belben]

Thats awesome.. Wish we had something like that here.  Theres a human shelter in town that we probably should donate to at some point when theres some money. 

[Bruno of NH]

The sports radio show I'm involved in raised money every year for one person in need and a veterans heating fund at the local American Legion. 
This year we did $7,000 for a 
Little boy who needs a special dog that can tell when he has a spell coming on.
$15,000 went to the heating fund.
The heating fund was started by the show. It now has around $45,000 and it's gone to folks all over NH and Vt.
Send a letter to the Lebanon NH Legion to apply 

[kantuckid]

Some religious groups will make providing food as part of their ministry inadvertently creating what are referred to as rice Christians.

Food was actually a recent donation we made right after the western KY tornadoes. I saw a news article that the well-known World Kitchen guy was taking his food operation into the Mayfield, KY area to feed people who had no home, no kitchen or were responding with help there.
 Then I saw a FB piece that told of a number of Louisville, KY food trucks also headed there to provide free food.
 I messaged them and learned that they were in fact coordinating with The World Kitchen group, so I sent a paypal directly to The World Kitchen knowing it would be helpful. 
My larger point is sometimes we choose differently who we give to from year to year besides our regulars. 
 This food effort hit home for me as I'd been on active duty/Martial Law for several weeks during the horrible 1966 Topeka, KS tornado and seen the issues firsthand and that a certain well-known group sold food vs. free food from all the others who helped there. 
 You have to eat, end of story.  
Not to dwell on this but I/we never give to the TV ads asking for $19 a month, the magic number no matter what's their group or cause- just our take on things. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   I took my then 11 y/o son and went down with a chain saw to help clear limbs and tops after hurricane Hugo hit Charleston SC and we were camping in the back of my truck. I remember we stopped at a local church designated as a disaster center and a group from Louisiana had come out and set up a local kitchen and were providing hot meals to the residents, police and people who came down to help. I had tuna and crackers and pop tarts but when we stopped they insisted we eat with them and we had a much better meal than I had expected. They told me they stayed packed and ready to prepare and serve 10,00 meals and headed to the location as soon as it was obvious where the storm would hit. Once there they also got additional food as salvage from people who had lost power and the stuff in their freezer was thawing.

  I still remember the tale about a new guy hiring on to a big firm in an office environment. It was close to Christmas and everybody seemed to have some cause they were championing so he put a collection jar on his desk and a plaque "For the children of Israel" and he was doing pretty well with it till the admin folks finally got his nameplate made and put on his desk. It said "Israel Johnson". After that his donations dwindled.

[goose63]

Make a Wish every year here in our little dinky town we come with 4.000 to 7.000 

And the local animal shelter I like to leave a few bags of dog and cat food 

[K-Guy]

Although I'm not a religious person , I like giving to the Salvation Army. They run with only as many paid staffers as they have to, most are volunteers saved by them. Everywhere I've been in Canada and the US, I've only heard good things about them helping people, not judging them.

[Brad_bb]

Your local humane society.  Just got my second kitten from them, the other a year ago.  I would've taken older cats, by my 10 yr old would not have done mixed with that.

Being from the greater Chicagoland area, people asking for money at the traffic light or off ramp are all scammers.  Never give them money.  They are there day in and day out.  Many alcoholics and drug addicts, and many just don't want to have a real job and any responsibility.  The old "I just need 5 bucks for gas to get home" is an old one that I fell for as a young teenage driver.  It's just a scam.  

Every so often you get soft and have to learn your lesson again.  2 years ago I was at the gas station near my house and a guy there had a hard luck story about how he just started a new job at the warehouses nearby but he didn't have money to eat that day as he hasn't got his first paycheck yet. He just wanted enough to get some bread and lunchmeat.  He was a very good actor and very convincing.  There was a subway in this gas station so I told him I'll tell you what, I'll buy you sub, but I'm not giving any money.  He paused and I should have read that sign.  I bought him a footlong.  I left the gas stating but that pause was eating at me so I quickly turned into the gas station back lot and drove around the other side.  I parked with a vantage point of most of the pumps and watched the same guy approach every single person there.  Some morons giving money too.  After he hit at least half a dozen people(not including however many he hit before me), I followed him as he walked around the building and git in his car (not a beater by any means) and drive away.  Had to learn my lesson again.  God help anyone who genuinely needs help, and condemn these scammers.  Indianapolis has a lot of street corner beggers too.  The law in Indy is something like they can't ask you for money but they can hold up a sign.  They play the game.  It's so frustrating when I see the sucker, I mean car ahead of me give money to these deadbeats.  And over the last 5 years, If you wanted to work, there is work available.  

[hacknchop]

My comment about about rice  Christians has nothing to do with disaster relief which is a worthy cause and yes there are huge disasters that receive must publicity and help. There are also small and personal disasters that affect just one family or even one person,both are worthy causes. There is nothing better than helping others in there time of need.