MAGNOLIA
CLIPPING SERVICE
(601) 856-0911 , (205) 758-8610
CLARION LEDGER
JACKSON, MS
Circulation.: 115223
DAILY
12/10/2009
""111111111111111"1111111111111111
State provides easy-to-use tool to check out charities
r:J
IckSBURG - In a December
V mood? Feeling generous? Wal-
let empty?
Not a problem, says Bill Moak,
president of the Better Business
Bureau of MississippL Givetime.
"The personal rewards for volun-
teering, especially during the holi-
day season, can be as important to
charities as a cash contribution,"
Moaksaid.
And he's right. There are very few
service groups that couldn't use a
hand, especially from someone who
has a bit of expertise.
, 'If nnthing'else, buy or b,'lke some
cookies and take them to the office
of an organization you think is doing
good work in your community.
Mississippians are the most phil-
anthropic people in America. We've
been told thatforyears. The ranking
is based op giving as a
- percentage of income
reported to the Inter-
nal Revenue Service.
The fact we are a state
with a lot of low-
income people and a
Mitchell lot of church-going
VICksburg tithers provides part
Post of the explanation.
But not all ofit. People
in this state will really
rally.
It's impressive how neighborly
Mississippians can be.
Others have noticed, too, and,
sadly, the world of charities has
become infested with predators.
There are groups and individuals
who make fortunes by using decep-
tion to gain the compassion of oth-
ers. Christmas is their feeding sea-
son. So how do you tell if a donation
will actually do what you want it to
do?
A first step could be called the
"name test." Here it is: The more
emotion-packed words in the orga-
nization's name, the more likely the
organization is not a charity at -all.
Hence, if the mailman brings you a
solicitation from the "Society to
Provide Kittens to the Blind Babies
of Deaf Veterans," a questioning
eyebrow should go up . There are
plenty of legitimate charities. But
there are also plenty of con artists.
Another term bogus groups like
to employ is "law enforcement" or
"first responders ." Every honest
person is grateful for law enforce-
ment and knows first responders
save lives. So it follows that scam-
mers are not shy about tapping into
that gratitude. In turn, they do very
little, if anything, to actually sup-
port law enforcement or first
responders.
The second step is using a tool-
an invaluable tool-the Mississippi
Legislature has made available to
the public through the secretary of
state's office (www.sos.state.ms.us)
for several years.
An annual report on all charities
registered to ask for money from
Mississippians (and registration is
required) is available online in full
and searchable formats. Most public
libraries have printed versions.
What the annual reports do show
is how much money a group raised
in the most recent year, the cost of
raising the money, the cost of
administrative staff and the amount
actually spent for the stated pur-
pose.
If a report shows a charity spent
75 cents or more of every donated
dollar on overhead - and a surpris­
ing number do - wary donors
might choose to give their checks to
organizations that minimize their
internal costs to maximize their
effect.
If people have money to give, the
best advice is to give it close to home
to known, trusted individuals and
organizations. Any group soliciting
a gift by mail, telephone or other-
wise should be checked out. The
state makes it pretty easy to do.
•
Charlie Mitchell is executive edi­
tor of The Vicksburg Post. Write to
him at Box 821668, Vicksburg MS
39182 or e-mail cmitchell@vicks­
burgpost.com.