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Originally Posted On: https://oneloveapparel.com/blogs/news/6-tips-for-donating-to-child-charity-organizations

In 2021, almost $485 billion was donated to charity by American citizens and organizations.

Donating to charity is a fantastic use of your spare change! Whether you’ve only got a few dollars to give or have a large surplus, you’d like to go to a good cause, every donation helps.

One charitable area that will particularly tug at your heartstrings is child charities. If you’re looking to give to child charity organizations this year, we’ve put together a guide to help you.

Read on to find out more!

1. RESEARCH THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILD CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS

When choosing a child charity, spend some time looking into what sort of organizations are out there. There are children’s charities for all sorts of issues, including escaping war, battling illnesses, and promoting education. For example, at One Love Apparel, we donate to children’s cancer charities and anti-bullying charities, among many more.

It’s a good idea to read more into what these sorts of charitable set-ups actually mean. For example, a child cancer charity can do many things, from granting wishes for children with terminal cancer to funding research into possible cures. Know more about what your money can do and you’ll find it easier to discover a cause that you’re passionate about.

2. KNOW THE CHARITIES THAT NEED YOUR HELP

If you’re struggling to choose from the charities you’ve found, look at what’s relevant right now. For example, if you know that war in a country is a particular problem at the moment, sending your money to a charity that’s helping children to escape and find safety could be a good idea. They’ll need the money more than ever right now, and your donation will be received with a lot of gratitude.

You may also find charities that are actively asking for more donations at the time of your search. For example, if a children’s hospice needs to raise money for new equipment, or because they have more patients than usual, they may put out a plea. These can help you look at where your money is most needed right now.

Remember, though, that many charities need constant help. If you find one that’s close to your heart but isn’t actively asking for money, they’ll still appreciate your donation and put it to good use! Every donation makes a difference.

3. RESEARCH THE CHARITY

Once you’ve found a charity organization – or a few different organizations—it’s time to start your research. You need to make sure that the charity you’ve picked is legitimate.

Start by asking for the charity’s latest annual report and any other written literature they have to share with you. Charity organizations are obliged to share this sort of information with potential donors, and any that are legitimate will be happy to! If they put up a fight, that’s a red flag and a sign to look elsewhere.

Once you have access to their mission statement, their directors, and their financial statements, you’ll be in a better position to know whether to donate to them. Remember, any good charity will be happy to share this all with you. In fact, most encourage this kind of research!

4. IS THE CHARITY REGISTERED?

If you’re looking to donate to charity, ensure the organization you’ve chosen is registered. All non-church charitable organizations that have an income of over $50,000 a year should submit financial information to the IRS. They should also register every year with the state.

This isn’t a fool-proof method to check legitimacy, but it helps. Along with the research above you should start to build a picture of whether this is one of the best charities to donate to.

5. LOOK INTO WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES

When you’re handing your money over to an organization, it’s a good idea to check where it’ll be going! You can ask the charity directly for this information or take a look around their website.

Charities that are very efficient will donate around 75% of donations to the causes they support, with the rest going to paying wages and the running of the charity. Remember, newer charities will need more funds to set up, so they may donate less for now.

Some charities will also give you an idea of what your money will do. For example, they may show you that $15 can provide life-saving medicine, $50 can pay for a child’s medical bills for a day, and $500 can pay for a new piece of equipment. This is a great way to learn more about how the charity plans to use your money and it’s heartwarming to know how you’ll be helping when you donate!

6. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE CHARITIES WORK

Checking out the charity’s work not only aids in your selection of a good charity but also can make you feel inspired to donate. The charity may have images or stories of the people they’ve helped and give updates on their progress. If they don’t have anything on their website, be sure to reach out to them to ask for more information.

DONATE THROUGH A THIRD-PARTY WITH ONE LOVE APPAREL

If you don’t have time to research different child charity organizations and get in touch with them for information, you can always donate your money through a third party, like us at One Love Apparel! We already have a list of fantastic children’s charities that we’ve researched ourselves and trust. Whenever you buy any of our apparel, we make a donation to one of the charities that’s important to us, giving you a quick and easy way to make a difference.

Be sure to start browsing our collection of clothing today and let’s change the world one t-shirt at a time!