With 45 days left in the year, now is a great time to make year end giving plans so that you are not rushed at the last minute. There will be many reminders to make donations such as GivingTuesday which takes place on November 29^th and, of course, the holiday season when our thoughts turn to helping others. To assist with your giving choices, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following suggestions.

Alternatives to Cash Contributions. If money is tight due to inflation and other demands, remember there are other ways to help. Consider donating nonperishable food to food banks. Some communities organize donations of warm coats in good condition. And don’t forget a number of charities that welcome donated toys to help needy children. The earlier you help these efforts, the more likely your generosity will do the most good, as soon as possible.

Ukraine Relief. Remember there are international relief organizations that continue to provide help to areas of Ukraine. As the war continues, demands grow for medicines, food and other urgent items. Some groups are continuing to work with local Ukraine charities and houses of worship to help distribute assistance.

Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian Recovery Efforts. The billions of dollars of damage inflicted by theses storms are still being felt in Puerto Rico, West Coast of Florida, and Canada’s Atlantic Coast as they seek to continue cleaning up and work towards rebuilding. These are long term goals that will need additional support to succeed. Remember these areas as you make your end of year giving decisions.

Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas. Consider providing help to charities located in areas that continue to struggle from mass shooting tragedies that shook the nation. The need goes beyond just the families of victims but to the community as a whole which still seeks to recover from this devastating loss of trust and safety.

Favorite Causes: Of course, don’t forget to donate to your favorite organizations as well. But we also recommend you take the time to visit Give.org to verify if the chosen charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

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Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we interview Scott Black, Executive Director of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation (a BBB Accredited Charity). The Xerces Society works to protect the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats.

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast is part of our special series "Made by the Bay" sponsored by the Tipping Point Community to feature the activities of people in the San Francisco Bay Area working for the betterment of their community. This week, our guest is Manu Meel, the CEO of BridgeUSA, a youth-led nonprofit organization that creates spaces on high school and college campuses for open discussion between students about political issues.

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Recent 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:

• Bread for the World Institute
• Community Advocates
• Melanoma Research Foundation

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.