topic Re: News About Charities in Community Chat

News About Charities

Sooner — Thu, 14 May 2026 17:18:06 GMT

I am reading more about some well known charities and foundations misusing funds. A practice that I had begun to suspect a few years ago because so many new foundation, charities, sponsored benefits, etc. were constantly croping up. Every day I see more local foundations and groups--how many can there be?

Looking at the amounts they receive in federal, private and corporate money and factoring that against the people actually served, it just doesn't add up. Locally and nationally.

Huge amounts go to salaries, travel, lodging and payments to speakers. Seems sometimes it's a racket serving the top dogs with travel funds, perks, speaking funds and publicity, not the people supposedly being served.

Yes, I understand it is nothing new, but seems it is being talked about openly more now, lawsuits are being brought, and even well-known ones are being examined.

I am trying to be more careful with what I donate and where it winds up.

Re: News About Charities

Puzzle Piece — Thu, 14 May 2026 17:28:06 GMT

Non profits are also being fraudulent.

Re: News About Charities

Laura14 — Thu, 14 May 2026 17:44:29 GMT

You can use Charity Navigator to learn about most of the non-profits and exactly what goes where, if you want to make an informed donation.

Re: News About Charities

Tinkrbl44 — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:04:04 GMT

@Sooner

There are many ways to benefit charities.

My local Ralphs (Kroger grocery chain) has a Community Donations option. We can select which charity from about a dozen choices. A teeny percentage of everything I spend on groceries goes to my choice.

I chose A Cat's Tale in Redondo Beach, CA, a no-kill shelter.

I spoke to one of the founders, and she said it really adds up.

It costs me nothing but makes me feel great that I am helping kitties every time I buy groceries.

Re: News About Charities

ThinkingOutLoud — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:04:52 GMT

@Laura14 wrote:
You can use Charity Navigator to learn about most of the non-profits and exactly what goes where, if you want to make an informed donation.

That works for some charities but others aren't going to report their nefarious doings.

Re: News About Charities

Mz iMac — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:09:47 GMT

@Sooner wrote:

Yes, I understand it is nothing new, but seems it is being talked about openly more now, lawsuits are being brought, and even well-known ones are being examined.

@Sooner Must be regional. In my neck of the woods everyone knew 99.9% of charities are what we call "The Rackets." Some are even undercover Ponzi Schemes. They were always part of the "you can always count on death, taxes, whores & rackets."

Most of the well known charities have all come under scrutiny at one time or another for decades.

They all have been around for centuries. Same 💩 different day. Now w/everyone using 1 device after another plus the WWW you think "new" charaties are croping up.

Re: News About Charities

We rescue cats — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:13:41 GMT

Unfortunately all too often the result of a search for info on validity is simply "not Rated". There was a charity that a young man created (Cuddles for Kids). He gave stuffed animals to children facing surgeries or bad situations. Unfortunately his mother got involved and stole over a half million $$ though officially it was reduced to under $300,000, and she did the same to the Bar Association. . . very sad...with whom she was employed.

Re: News About Charities

MoonieBaby — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:17:43 GMT

The steal is real

Re: News About Charities

cjm61 — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:50:07 GMT

I think your comment @Sooner "Yes, I understand it is nothing new" is correct. This is not new. I know many people believe in the Red Cross but they are not as upstanding as some believe.

Years ago, around 40-50 years ago, my dad was a firefighter. He was on the fireline in the forest working hard and exhausted. The American Red Cross approached him asking if he needed anything. He asked only for chapstick. They handed it to him and asked him to pay the full retail amount. These were all donated. Hearing this from so long ago gives me a bad taste for charities.

Re: News About Charities

kaydee50 — Thu, 14 May 2026 19:33:45 GMT

I do check Charity Navigator and only donate to those that are highly rated. They are out there.

Re: News About Charities

willowbark — Thu, 14 May 2026 19:18:57 GMT

I think the old adage of I'll donate to the charity of my choice and what they do with the money is on them has been proven to be a fool's errand.

Re: News About Charities

Q-Checker — Thu, 14 May 2026 19:25:24 GMT

I subscribe to Charity Watch, a service which conducts a broad scope of research into the ethical use of donated funds, including "excessive" CEO salaries. Some of their basic data can be found on line.The subscription cost to the printed version is modest (and tax deductible) and provides more information about the charities' funding and functioning than that listed on line. I value their reports and never donate to a charity without checking their report on that charity, especially the percentage of funds directed to a cause versus the percentage of overhead expenses incurred in raising and distributing the funds. Charity Watch also notes those charities which are not forthcoming with financial records and indicates this without providing a rating for those groups. I also look at Charity Navigator ratings. Is this a perfect way to vet charities? Of course not but, to my mind, that is an insufficient rationale to avoid contributing to highly rated charities. I also contribute to local charities which are not rated by Charity Watch, since I am familiar with the results of their work and, frequently, their internal operations.

Re: News About Charities

shoekitty — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:07:55 GMT

@cjm61 I think some of those story's about Red Cross, Salvation Army are the stuff of rumor. Check SNOPES . My Dad was in WWII, both my parents told similar stories of Red Cross and Salvation Army. Only it wasn't chapstick.it was cigarettes, and donuts. lol. . lol. I do have a donation policy for myself. I never usually donate to huge organizations like ASPCA (OrMarch of dimes, heart assn, cancer assn, etc. Instead I have researched smaller, local groups. I look them up on charity navigator and another site. I usually donate to same groups. I see my donations at work, especially the animal and food programs! There isn't the hierarchy, of CEO, many salaries, upkeep, and the huge fundraisers. I do donate goods to Goodwill, Salvation Army, Saint Vincent and the like. I do donate cash to our local Salvation Army Rescue mission, the money I know goes to feed homeless and needy and their daily soup kitchen. Except now a days the soup kitchen is a brown bag program. Lol

Re: News About Charities

UpNorthGorgy — Thu, 14 May 2026 19:45:25 GMT

@cjm61 My ex husband was in the military and he said he heard that soldiers in WWIl were asked to pay for donuts and coffee, Red Cross. I dont know if true or not?

I imagine the Red Cross gets a good price selling donated blood to hospitals and Universities. I prefer to donate to an organization that at least keeps blood donations in the local communities.

Re: News About Charities

ThinkingOutLoud — Thu, 14 May 2026 19:51:58 GMT

Just went to charity navigator out of curiosity. There's a charity that has a 98%, 4 star rating that I'm glad I've never donated to. I also looked up another and let's just say the people running this site are ill informed and use msm articles that are also ill informed.

Re: News About Charities

frenchie — Thu, 14 May 2026 19:55:05 GMT

My Dad was in the army in WWIi and he told us the Red Cross charged for coffee and donuts. Since then he always was thankful to the Salvation Army that served them free. My Dad also got a purple heart and a bronze medal which I have.

Re: News About Charities

ThinkingOutLoud — Thu, 14 May 2026 19:57:58 GMT

@cjm61 wrote:
I think your comment @Sooner "Yes, I understand it is nothing new" is correct. This is not new. I know many people believe in the Red Cross but they are not as upstanding as some believe.

Years ago, around 40-50 years ago, my dad was a firefighter. He was on the fireline in the forest working hard and exhausted. The American Red Cross approached him asking if he needed anything. He asked only for chapstick. They handed it to him and asked him to pay the full retail amount. These were all donated. Hearing this from so long ago gives me a bad taste for charities.

I've also read things about the Red Cross that was less than flattering.

Re: News About Charities

shoekitty — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:03:23 GMT

@ThinkingOutLoud charity navigator and the other charity investigator womt rate a charity without them turning over books. In order to be rated they do a sort of audit. If the records are not handed over, they aren't rated, or rating is lowered ...and it is noted in the public report. No report is 100%. In the end, everything can be made up somewhere. I guess if everything is done to investigate a charity, their records have been been audited, other criteria have been met. ...One can only go by faith, or gut instinct at that point. I do what I can to research, and then go from there. I take my deduction off taxes with their ID. I get credit on taxes.

Re: News About Charities

shoekitty — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:15:59 GMT

@ThinkingOutLoud I don't agree about the charity navigator. It is a tool. An aside here....there is a difference between being analytical, and being a total Eeyore.

Re: News About Charities

ThinkingOutLoud — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:17:30 GMT

@shoekitty wrote:
@ThinkingOutLoud charity navigator and the other charity investigator womt rate a charity without them turning over books. In order to be rated they do a sort of audit. If the records are not handed over, they aren't rated, or rating is lowered ...and it is noted in the public report. No report is 100%. In the end, everything can be made up somewhere. I guess if everything is done to investigate a charity, their records have been been audited, other criteria have been met. ...One can only go by faith, or gut instinct at that point. I do what I can to research, and then go from there. I take my deduction off taxes with their ID. I get credit on taxes.

Ok - so a charity turned over their books and got a very high rating and are now being investigated so they obviously didn't share all of their books so the ratings seem useless.