World Cancer Day is recognized this week on February 4^th and was originally founded in 2000 at a cancer summit held in Paris. This annual observance is intended to raise awareness for the detection, prevention, and treatment of cancer. For those who seek to honor this day by contributing to one of the many cancer charities in the U.S., BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following tips along with a list of cancer charities that meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

Tips for Supporting Cancer Charities with Confidence

With many charities dedicated to fighting cancer, take a moment to ensure your donation goes to a trustworthy organization that aligns with your giving goals.

• Find out what they do. Review the appeal and website of the cancer organization for information about their activities. Are they engaged in medical research, treatment assistance, and/or prevention education?  Don’t assume what they do based solely on their name.
• Look for transparency in cause-related marketing. If the organization is engaged in a promotion that announces the purchase of a consumer product or service will benefit the charity, look for a disclosure that identifies the actual or anticipated amount of the purchase that will go to the group. For additional details about the disclosure required by BBB Charity Standards, see Standard 19.
• Consider more than celebrity endorsements.  Cancer is a cause of concern for many families, and sometimes famous celebrities help bring attention and encourage donations to specific organizations. While celebrities demonstrate their generosity and good work by donating their time, it is the charity itself that needs to gain your trust. BBB Wise Giving Alliance encourages donors to check out the charity before contributing.
• Sound alike cancer charity names. As there are thousands of charities that address some aspect of cancer and/or have cancer in their name, it is not surprising that some names may sound similar. Nevertheless, look at the name carefully to avoid a case of mistaken identity

We hope this advice will help donors to give with confidence while avoiding questionable efforts.

Trusted Cancer Charities 

The following cancer charities meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability (i.e., BBB Accredited Charities). Click on the link to access their report.

American Association for Cancer Research

American Cancer Society

American Childhood Cancer Organization

American Institute for Cancer Research

Cancer Care Services

Cancer Research Institute

DetecTogether

Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

National Brain Tumor Society

National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund

National Foundation for Cancer Research

National Pediatric Cancer Foundation

Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the United States

Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation

Prevent Cancer Foundation

Prostate Cancer Foundation

Sarcoma Foundation of America

Sharsheret

St. Baldrick’s Foundation

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Susan G. Komen

Teen Cancer America

The Pink Fund

ZERO Prostate Cancer

Heart of Giving Podcast: Lindsay Torrico Discusses Banking on Community

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features a conversation with Lindsay Torrico, Senior Vice President, Bank Community Engagement, American Bankers Association and Executive Director, ABA Foundation. She discusses how  banks participate in communities and drive economic mobility.

Explore Three of Our Latest Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• UNFCU Foundation
• Wounded Warrior Project
• Rescue Me

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.