Give Wisely on GivingTuesday
Milwaukee, Wis. – If there has ever been a year when charitable need was at its highest, 2020 surely rises to the top. Today is GivingTuesday, a donation promotion that was started by the New York-based 92Y in 2012 (but is now a separate charitable organization) that evolved into a “global generosity movement.” Giving Tuesday reports it has cumulatively helped raise billions of dollars for online charitable giving worldwide in more than 60 countries.
If you participate in GivingTuesday, BBB Wise Giving Alliance urges donors to check our charities on its Give.org website to ensure that contributions are going to trustworthy organizations. Our detailed, standards-based charity evaluations provide donors with information to help them make wiser giving decisions.
BBB WGA is sharing five tips to help donors give wisely and make the most of their generosity this holiday season.
- Watch out for mistaken identity. When charities seek support for the same cause, their names are often similar. Before you give, be sure you have the exact name of the charity to avoid a case of mistaken identity.
- Avoid on-the-spot donation decisions from unfamiliar organizations. Typically, the holidays bring a higher frequency of donation requests. Don’t succumb to pressure to make an immediate giving decision. Responsible organizations will welcome your gift tomorrow as much as they do today.
- Be wary of overly emotional appeals. If an appeal brings tears to your eyes, make sure it is also clear about what the charity intends to do to address the issues. Always research to verify that your selected charity operates ethically.
- Be cautious about charities that don’t disclose. Although charity participation in BBB reporting is voluntary, charities that don’t disclose any of the requested information to BBB WGA raise a critical red flag for donors. Visit Give.org to find out if your selected charity is nondisclosure.
- Rely on standards-based evaluations. Charities that are found to meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability are helping to demonstrate their trustworthiness. Get free access to charity reports at Give.org.
For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2019, people turned to BBB more than 183 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.8 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. There are local, independent BBBs across the United States, Canada and Mexico, including BBB Serving Wisconsin which was founded in 1939 and serves the state of Wisconsin.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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