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| For most of us, giving comes
from a very special place. Surfing through Web pages may be the best way
to locate your charity of choice. |
BY FILLING out a form online, you may sponsor a needy child almost
anywhere in the world. By buying a hand-woven Navajo rug, you can support
Native American senior citizens living on reservations. You may even
stumble onto a site that will help you locate a neighborhood church or
fire station that’s collecting toys for the holidays. A few search engines can guide you to a specific charity. Yet for most of us, giving comes from a very special place. A child killed in a car accident compels us to get involved with a seat-belt campaign. A friend dying of AIDS sparks our interest in medical research. A history of political or religious strife encourages us to rally at the White House. Surfing through Web pages may be the best way to locate your charity of choice. But here’s a sampling of what’s out there to get you going in the right cyber direction, and to help bring peace in the next century. Search engines, databases GuideStar provides good basic information on more than 620,000 public charities, including financial data such as total assets. The online research tool takes a long time to search for and load information, but for serious philanthropists, it’s worth the visit. This past year, GuideStar added a new feature. Now site visitors can view IRS 990 PF forms online. These forms, required by the Internal Revenue Service for tax-exempt nonprofits with revenues of more than $25,000, offer detailed financial information about the workings of an organization, including salaries of principal players.
Promoting a world where all people will live “free, dignified and productive lives,” Action without Borders sponsors a database called The Idealist that lists 20,000 organizations in 140 countries. The Browse-all-organizations-by-country feature can take you to the Sociedad Conservacionista Audubon de Venezuela or to Circle Murmansk, a gay, bisexual and lesbian organization in Russia. The idea of exchanging information globally has been a vision of Executive Director Ami Dar since the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon, when he served as an Israeli soldier from 1979-1982. “Looking across the fence at the (Lebanese) soldiers, I knew I had to do something,” said Dar, who grew up in Israel, Peru and Mexico. Children Disadvantaged children and at-risk youth draw universal attention. Started in 1947, the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program offers a special service for children who celebrate Christmas and either have no Santa or one that can’t afford holiday gifts. In 1998, reserve Marines distributed more than 11 million of toys to approximately 4.8 million children, according to Brian A. Murray, director of operations and a retired Marine major. The Save the Children’s Web site is designed to make you unload the extra cash in your wallet or write a fat check, bringing children to life on almost every screen through black-and-white photographs. Created in 1932, Save the Children has helped youngsters around the globe survive poverty, disasters and more. |
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| The beanie doll Paz sells for
$8.95 as part of Save the Children's Holiday Gift
Collection. |
The Web site provides several ways to make
a contribution. And if you have forgotten someone on your list, or
want to start shopping early for next year, check out the online Holiday
Collection catalog. A Save the Children tie is a must for any man’s
wardrobe. Designed by Dana, 12, the 100 percent silk tie pictured
here, “Helping Children and Their Families Around the World,” sells
for only $28.The Save the Children beanie dolls make a great stocking stuffer at $8.95 each. The original collection includes Paz, Juji, Haruko, Nackensize, Sila and Patrick. Buy all six, and pay $48. That’s 95 cents off each doll. Mia Farrow, mother of 14 children, lends her support to Children’s Charities of America, an umbrella organization for children’s charities that has 114 members — all of them pre-screened and in alphabetical order. Medical Hundreds of health organizations have Web sites with electronic giving options. National organizations such as American Lung Association and American Cancer Society have simple forms online for donors. |
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Smaller nonprofits such as SHARE, a self-help
organization for women with ovarian and breast cancer, also have mounted
online campaigns. Cyber-visitors can contribute to Share’s online program
“Investing in Survivorship.” “Four and half years ago, SHARE was the only organization providing a group specifically for ovarian cancer,” said Sharon Florin, a Manhattan artist who was diagnosed with the life-threatening disease in 1995. Since then, Florin has led a support group, gathers all her friends for an annual fund-raising campaign in New York and paints full-time in her studio only by natural light instead of holding down a “meaningless, stressful job.” Social programs A few charities have launched creative campaigns online. Adopt-a-Native-Elder Program encourages individuals to adopt a Navajo elder. |
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| This Grandma Design created
by Katie Furcap is among the rugs displayed on the site for the
Adopt-A-Native-Elder Program. |
Twice a year, sponsors are required to
send food, medicine and clothing to a designated elder living on a
reservation in northern Arizona. You can also view hand-woven rugs
online. Don’t look, unless you are willing to buy. The rich earth
tones of the one-of-kind weaves make giving guiltless.Environmental Environmental organizations abound on the Web , from large-scale national organizations to grass-roots coalitions. To encourage letter writing in addition to check writing, the National Audubon Society posts congressional e-mail addresses on its Web site. Greenpeace takes an activist approach to all things environmental. The cyber activist section offers a model letter to send to the European Union (EU) Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner to ban in Europe PVC toys for children under age 3. The Environmental Defense Fund concerns itself primarily with the Earth’s climate, the world’s oceans, human health and restoring biodiversity. Education |
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| Friends may lose track of
you over time, but somehow the fund-raising offices at universities never
lose their grip. |
By now, you’re probably been inundated with mail from your alma
mater. Friends may lose track of you over time, but somehow the fund-raising offices at academic institutions never seem to lose their grip. If you’ve trashed that annual appeal and suddenly have the urge to give, there is a good chance that the institution has a presence on the Web. If not, call your school’s development or alumni affairs office, and a representative will be more than happy to help you. Religious and political The old adage “never discuss politics or religion in the workplace” ought to apply to stories about Web site giving as well. So for these two categories, you’re on your own. But be forewarned that political contributions generally are not tax deductible. Web safety basics No matter where you decide to give, a few tips about giving online may serve as useful reminders: Use the same caution as with all Web transactions: Only give to a known entity or one you have researched; pay with a credit card; keep track of your contributions; and double-check your credit card bill. Research the organization either online or by making a few phone calls. Useful research sites include GuideStar and the Internet Nonprofit Center. Read the trade publications. Targeted for professionals, the trades can offer insights into philanthropic trends and what the organizations are saying about you, the donor. The Chronicle of Philanthropy is the most popular among fund-raisers. Check tax status. Tax exempt and tax deductible are not the same thing. Tax exempt means the organization is exempt from paying taxes but does not necessarily mean contributions are tax deductible. Take the time to make an educated decision. If you are considering making a large donation, read annual reports, visit the program and talk to other donors. If you have the time, stop by unannounced. Teri Goldberg is MSNBC.com’s shopping writer. |
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Buy online and do good at the
same time
Grocery shopping goes virtual
Making shopping sticky |
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