Tis the season to get ripped off
Did you ever wonder after making a donation to a charity if your money is really going to be used wisely? With all the advertisements and media telling you that this is the season for good will toward men, you are more likely to make an impulse donation to someone standing on the street with a bucket or with a sad story on the phone.
I say STOP – don’t do it.
You have to check the charity out first tomake sure it is legit and to see just how much of your donation is actually going towards those in need and not paying the salary of a CEO. You can check out charities by going on line to a site like http://www.Charitynavigator.org they have all the information that you need to make an informed decision. Personally I like to keep it local by donating to a good cause or family right in my own community. You can check with your local houses of worship for guidance if needed. The economy has hit many folks hard and unfortunately it isn’t hard to find someone in need right in your own backyard.
Best of Kisco 
I am a huge fan of “direct charities.” Some of these are Donors Choose and Wish Upon a Hero. At Donors Choose, teachers put up projects that they want to get funded and you can choose which ones you want and directly donate to them. All projects are vetted.
Wish Upon a Hero is different. Individuals put up what they need or want and NOT all projects are vetted. You have to be more careful there, but there are still easy enough ways to check (WUaH puts stars next to the people who’ve had their personal info checked, for example).
I am sure there are other direct charities out there, so if you know of any, holler!