Child Sponsorship
Thinking about child sponsorship? Learn how these programs work, how funds are used, and what questions to ask before committing to a donation.
Wise Giving Wednesday: One Love Manchester and Charity Concerts
Ariana Grande’s benefit concert on June 4th, One Love Manchester, helped raise over $3 million for the British Red Cross
to benefit the victims of the terrorist bombing at the Manchester Arena in England. This concert received worldwide
attention and featured a variety of famous performers including Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Black Eyed Peas, Pharrell,
Coldplay and others. The event also demonstrates how quickly people of concern can come together to help those in
need.
We are also reminded that not all charity concerts are conducted in response to major tragedies. During the spring, summer
and extending into early fall, some cities and towns draw crowds for other music festivals to benefit charity. They
have become quite commonplace not only to raise funds for specified charities but to also increase awareness of causes.
But before you go online to purchase concert tickets for an upcoming charity event, we offer the following advice
to keep in mind:
- Find out about the benefiting charity. While some concerts will help well-recognized organizations, others may assist
groups that are less familiar to you. Visit the charity’s website to learn more about the programs and activities
funds will support.
- Be alert to ticket scalpers. If inflated ticket prices are being charged, don’t assume that will result in more money
going to the charity. Scalpers recognize that some purchasers will not question the price if the event is organized
for charity.
- Merchandise sales may not help. You can’t assume, however, that all t-shirts and other items sold at a charity concert
will benefit the named organization unless they are authorized to do so and specify that connection.
- Verify charity trustworthiness by visiting Give.org to see if the organization meets the 20
BBB Standards for Charity Accountability
.
- Even if you are not able to attend, there may be other opportunities to help the featured organization(s) by either
making online donations via their websites or participating in text-to-give campaigns that may take place during
the concert.
As part of our Building Trust Video series, we are pleased to provide a video of Elena Davis, Founder of
I Am Waters Foundation (a
BBB Accredited Charity) I Am Waters works to provide access to clean drinking water to the homeless population.
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:
Finally, remember to let us know by going to
https://www.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
