Yesterday was #GivingTuesday - a designated day to donate to charities. Last week Wise Giving Wednesday featured this event and provided giving tips to keep in mind for those who participated by donating on this day.  Of course, giving does not end on #GivingTuesday and takes place throughout the year. 

While all charities need continuing help, we remind donors to especially remember the various disaster relief efforts to address Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria as well as the earthquake in Mexico. While these disasters have moved past the emergency relief phase and are now entering recovery, those charities engaged in rebuilding efforts will need additional assistance to get the job done. It is likely that those efforts will take years to complete. 

If you are short on cash this holiday season and are considering alternatives such as donating used items, the items need to be in good used condition in order to claim a charitable deduction on your federal income tax.  For example, if a charity accepts used clothing, a torn sweatshirt won’t do.  And, be sure to check out the charity on Give.org to find out if they meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. 

So if for some reason you missed #GivingTuesday, there are many other opportunities to help charities. We hope you will be generous in your choices and will seek to verify their trustworthiness by visiting Give.org. 

Video of the Week 

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide a video that features Joel Williams, Managing Attorney, Native American Rights Fund (a BBB Accredited Charity), which provides  legal assistance to Indian tribes, organizations, and individuals who may have otherwise gone without adequate representation. The organization reports that it helps tribes in all fifty states, with programming concentrated in five key areas: the preservation of Tribal existence; protection of Tribal natural resources; promotion of Native American human rights; the accountability of governments to Native Americans; and the development of Indian law and educating the public about Indian rights, laws and issues. 

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:

• Movember Foundation 
• National Park Foundation
• Unbound 

Finally, remember to let us know by going to https://give.org/ask-us-about-a-charity1/ if you are  interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.   

H. Art Taylor, President & CEO
BBB Wise Giving Alliance