Charitable giving is an area where you don't always want to stretch your dollars, but to concentrate them. Often, you can do more. Since 1991, we've been a leader in planning and giving solutions for charities, helping donors like you to support their favorite charities in an intelligent way. You don't have to donate money to make a difference.
Here are some imaginative ways to support the causes that matter most to you this year. Many employers offer great benefits for charitable giving, such as parallel giving programs where they compare your donations to charities or incentives to volunteer. Some charities are working on issues that seem to be even more at stake and more neglected, such as the prevention of a catastrophic pandemic. While you may be working with animals, getting involved in growing crops and other types of food will help ensure that people in need get food.
This means that for every 1 pound raised for charities (usually health-related), the health service spent approximately 13 pounds, so the net effect was to reduce resources for health services. Amex, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Capitol One are just a few examples of credit card companies that allow you to donate points to different charities. Donating blood regularly, or even on a timely basis, is a great way to ensure that you give back to those who need it. Charities really appreciate volunteers and there are probably organizations in your community that could use a more friendly pair of hands.
Some charities use approaches that can offer a greater scale of impact per dollar than direct services, such as research and promotion. Charities such as Habitat for Humanity Restore accept huge home renovation items (wood, tiles, moldings, old tubs) and sell them back to renovators and homeowners looking for a deal.