How can I best contribute to charity?

[BloodyWilliam]

I was going to send a care package down to the VFP in Baton Rouge for the relief efforts, but the cost of shipping would be almost as high as the items themselves...

Would it be a bad idea to just send a cash donation to VFP, and donate the food and toys I have to a local shelter? I mean, I want the VFP to get help. Would food really be much more useful than money?

[SheilaT]

1. I think at this point

you might be better off doing a cash donation. I'm trying to figure out what you mean by VFP, and I'm stumped. But whatever it is, can you contact them (or it) directly and ask what they prefer?

[BloodyWilliam]

3. VFP = Veterans For Peace

Michael Moore suggested libs who want to help hurricane victims donate to them.

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/hurricane_relief.htm

I would have sent something sooner, but without a car and long hours, I haven't had the chance to set up a package. I'll mail a check tomorrow, then look for a decent church or place to give some toys to.

[SheilaT]

4. Thank you.

Some days my ignorance astonishes me.

Yeah, find a good place to give the toys to. Lots of churches run daycare centers. Maybe you can find one that caters specifically to low-income children.

Or call your county courthouse and see if they have programs that could use the toys.

Thank you for your generosity, in any case.

[Catchawave]

5. Thanks for the link !

:hi:

[SmokingJacket]

2. Charities vastly prefer money. It's easy to store, and they can

buy exactly what they need.

I'm selling stuff on eBay and giving the money in a charity auction, because I don't have much spare cash lying around.

[Kenroy]

6. at this stage

a cash donation to a reputable charity is the best way to handle it.

It gives the providers some flexibility with how they handle it.

For example, I used to work for an aid charity. People would LOVE to drop off food for us - and we always appreciated it greatly. But.... well-meaning people would go to the supermarket and buy a bag of groceries for us. Let's say it cost them $40 for the bag of groceries.

If they had given US $40, we could go to Second-Harvest Foodbank (which I would personally recommend to you as a worthwhile charity) and buy $80 worth of groceries with that money.

A cash donation allowed us to do twice as much good as a donation of groceries.

I would suggest, however, that donating old clothing and housewares (in good shape, please) is worthwhile, as those things are hard to purchase cheaply.

But right now, they need food and medical supplies above all else. Cash will go farther than in-kind donations.