In a world brimming with causes needing support, choosing the right charity can be overwhelming. This guide aims to simplify that choice. We’ve carefully selected 50 charities for their transparency, impact, and the causes they champion. Whether you're passionate about healthcare, education, environmental conservation, or social justice, there's a charity here for you. Let's make a difference together.
Our Top Choice - Keep on Riding
The Keep on Riding initiative stands out for its mission to support children affected by war. This project provides bicycles to children displaced by terror attacks, offering them a sense of normalcy and joy. It's relevant due to its focus on vulnerable children, green through promoting sustainable transport, and impactful in fostering community resilience. The commitment to social impact makes Keep on Riding our top choice for its simple yet profound influence on children's lives.
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Things to consider when choosing a charity to donate to
- Transparency and Accountability: Look for charities with clear, accessible financial records, ensuring that donations are used effectively. This transparency is crucial for trust and accountability.
- Alignment with Your Values: Choose a charity that aligns with your personal beliefs and passions. Your donation should reflect the causes that you are most passionate about, whether it's education, hunger relief, or environmental conservation.
- Effectiveness and Impact: Seek out charities with a proven track record of making a tangible difference, through innovative methods, efficient use of funds, or significant achievements in their area of work.
- Local vs. Global Impact: Decide if you want to make a difference in your local community or contribute to global initiatives. Local charities typically address specific needs within the community, whereas global organizations address broader issues that affect larger populations.
- Sustainability of Programs: Evaluate whether the charity's programs are sustainable and create long-lasting positive change. Sustainable charities not only address immediate needs but also work towards creating systemic changes that have a lasting impact.
The top 50 rated charities to donate to
- Keep on Riding: A compassionate initiative responding to the needs of children affected by war. This project, which focuses on providing bicycles to children displaced by terror attacks, aims to restore a sense of normalcy and joy in their lives. It not only addresses the immediate emotional needs of vulnerable children but also promotes sustainable transport and community resilience. Keep on Riding's dedication to social impact through a simple yet meaningful approach exemplifies the power of targeted humanitarian efforts.
- Doctors Without Borders: An international medical humanitarian organization providing aid in nearly 70 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters.
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF): A leading conservation organization working in 100 countries, focused on protecting the future of nature. WWF’s work includes conserving the world's most important natural places and significantly changing global forces to protect the future of nature.
- The Water Project: This charity provides access to clean, safe, and reliable water across sub-Saharan Africa. They work closely with local communities to build and maintain sustainable water projects.
- Room to Read: Focuses on literacy and gender equality in education in low-income countries. They work to transform the lives of millions of children in Asia and Africa by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.
- Habitat for Humanity: A global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries, helping families build or improve a place they can call home.
- Feeding America: The nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, working to connect people with food and end hunger. Donors, staff, and volunteers all play an important role in their efforts to end hunger in the United States.
- Save the Children: An international NGO that promotes children's rights, provides relief, and helps support children in developing countries. They work towards ensuring children have healthcare, food, and protection.
- Oxfam: An international confederation of 19 organizations working together with partners and local communities in more than 90 countries. Oxfam focuses on the alleviation of global poverty.
- The Nature Conservancy: One of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world, working to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.
- American Red Cross: Renowned for disaster relief efforts, the American Red Cross also provides lifesaving blood, supports military families, offers international humanitarian aid, and delivers health and safety education and training.
- CARE: An international humanitarian agency delivering emergency relief and long-term international development projects. Focused on fighting global poverty, with a special emphasis on empowering women and girls.
- UNICEF: The United Nations Children's Fund works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
- Cancer Research Institute: Dedicated to harnessing the immune system's power to control and potentially cure all types of cancer, this institute supports and coordinates scientific research through grants and fellowships.
- Direct Relief: They work in the U.S. and internationally to equip doctors and nurses with life-saving medicines and supplies needed to care for the world's most vulnerable people.
- Girls Who Code: Aimed at closing the gender gap in technology, this charity offers learning opportunities for students and alumni to deepen their computer science skills and confidence.
- Heifer International: Working to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth, they provide livestock, agricultural training, and other resources to improve livelihoods in developing communities sustainably.
- Make-A-Wish Foundation: They fulfill life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, offering them hope, strength, and joy during challenging times.
- Amnesty International: A global movement of more than 7 million people campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all, they investigate and expose abuses, educate and mobilize the public, and help transform societies.
- Action Against Hunger: An international organization committed to ending world hunger. They work in nearly 50 countries to carry out innovative, lifesaving programs in nutrition, food security, water, sanitation, and hygiene.
- The Global Fund for Women: Advocates for women's human rights by providing financial grants and resources to support women-led organizations and movements around the world.
- Partners In Health: A global health organization committed to improving the health of the poor and marginalized. They provide a preferential option for the poor in health care.
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): Responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive, recover, and gain control of their future.
- SolarAid: An international charity that combats poverty and climate change by providing access to solar lights in some of the most remote regions of the world.
- War Child: Dedicated to supporting children affected by conflict. They aim to reach children as early as possible when conflict breaks out and stay to support them through their recovery.
- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Works to conserve millions of square miles of land and sea across 14 priority regions, driven by the imperative to protect our planet's wildlife and wild places.
- Human Rights Watch: Conducts rigorous, objective investigations and strategic, targeted advocacy to promote human rights and justice around the world.
- Charity: Water: A non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries, driving innovative solutions for water access and utilization.
- Teach For All: A global network of independent organizations working to expand educational opportunities in their nations by enlisting talented leaders to the effort.
- The Trevor Project: Provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.
Sure, here are more charities to complete the list:
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Leading the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
- Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders USA: Provides medical aid where it's needed most, often in conflict zones and countries affected by endemic diseases.
- World Food Programme: The food-assistance branch of the United Nations, it's the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.
- Rainforest Alliance: Works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices, and consumer behavior.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Provides children facing adversity with strong, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships.
- Accion: A global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a pioneering legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing.
- The Borgen Project: A national campaign focused on making poverty reduction a focus of U.S. foreign policy.
- Ocean Conservancy: Works to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges, combining science-based solutions with policy and citizen action.
- International Justice Mission: A global organization that protects the poor from violence in the developing world.
- Girls Not Brides: A global partnership committed to ending child marriage and enabling girls to fulfill their potential.
- Alzheimer's Association: The leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support, and research, working towards a world without Alzheimer's disease.
- Guide Dogs for the Blind: Provides guide dogs at no cost to the visually impaired, offering enhanced mobility and independence.
- National Wildlife Federation: America’s largest and most trusted conservation organization, working to protect and restore wildlife habitat, confront global warming, and connect with nature.
- Room to Grow: Dedicated to enriching the lives of babies born into poverty throughout their critical first three years of development.
- Smile Train: An international children's charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate.
- Mercy Corps: A global team of humanitarians who partner with communities, corporations, and governments to transform lives around the world.
- Plan International: An independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.
- The Sierra Club Foundation: Promotes efforts to educate and empower people to protect and improve the natural and human environment.
- Trees for the Future: Planting trees to regenerate the environment and create sustainable livelihoods for communities through agroforestry.
- World Vision: A Christian humanitarian organization helping children, families, and their communities overcome poverty and injustice.
Summary
Our editor's choice is Keep on Riding, a charity providing bicycles to children affected by war, noted for its compassionate approach and focus on sustainable transport. Our first runner-up is Doctors Without Borders, recognized for its global humanitarian aid in conflict zones and during health crises. The second runner-up is the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a conservation leader working globally to protect nature. Each of these charities stands out for its impactful work, addressing vital needs and making a significant difference in their respective areas.
Q&A about charities to donate to
Q1: How do I assess the legitimacy of a charity before donating?
A1: Research the charity's background, check for registration with a regulatory body, and look for transparency in their financial statements and impact reports. Websites like Charity Navigator and GuideStar provide valuable insights.
Q2: Can small donations make a real impact?
A2: Absolutely. Small donations, when pooled together, can significantly impact, especially for grassroots organizations where every dollar counts.
Q3: Are there tax benefits to donating to charities?
A3: In many countries, donations to registered charities are tax-deductible. It's best to consult a tax professional to understand how this applies in your region.
Q4: How can I volunteer with these top charities?
A4: Most charities welcome volunteers. Visit their websites to find out about volunteer opportunities, which can range from local community work to virtual assistance.
Q5: Can I specify how my donation is used?
A5: Many charities allow donors to specify where they want their funds to go. Check the charity’s donation page or contact them directly for more information.
Q6: Is it better to donate money or items?
A6: This depends on the charity's needs. Monetary donations are often more flexible, but some charities have specific needs for items.
Q7: What is the best time to donate to a charity?
A7: Anytime is a good time, but many charities have specific campaigns during certain times of the year, like holiday seasons, where your donation might have more impact.
Q8: How do I start my own fundraising campaign for a charity?
A8: Many charities provide tools and guidance to help you set up a fundraising campaign. Check their websites for resources or contact them directly.
Q9: Should I focus on local or global charities?
A9: This depends on your personal interests and values. Local charities often impact your immediate community, while global charities address broader issues.
Q10: How can I stay informed about the impact of my donation?
A10: Subscribe to the charity’s newsletters and follow them on social media. Most charities provide regular updates about their work and the difference donations make.
Q11: What should I know before donating plasma?
A11: Ensure you are eligible to donate plasma, which usually requires being in good health and meeting certain age and weight criteria. It's important to be well-hydrated and have eaten before donating. Plasma donation centers often compensate donors for their time.
Q12: How can I donate clothes effectively?
A12: Donate clothes that are clean and in good condition. Research local charities or organizations that accept clothing donations. Some organizations have specific needs, so it's helpful to check with them beforehand.
Q13: What are the requirements for donating blood?
A13: You should be in good health, meet age and weight requirements, and not have certain medical conditions or recent travel to specific areas. Blood banks screen donors for eligibility before donation.
Q14: How do I donate my hair?
A14: Hair donations typically require a minimum length (often around 10 inches) and should be free from permanent color, bleach, or other chemical treatments. Look for organizations that accept hair donations to make wigs for those with medical conditions causing hair loss.
Q15: What's the process for donating a car to charity?
A15: Choose a reputable charity that accepts car donations. They usually handle the towing and paperwork. Ensure you receive a receipt for tax deduction purposes and report the donation on your tax return if applicable.
Q16: How can I donate food in the most effective way?
A16: Non-perishable and unexpired food items are best. Contact local food banks or shelters to see what items they need most. Consider organizing a food drive in your community for a larger impact.
Q17: Where can I donate books?
A17: Libraries, schools, and community centers often accept book donations. There are also specific organizations and charities that distribute books to those in need, including children and overseas troops.
Explore all charity articles
This article is part of the Jpost Charity Series, a collection of articles that delve into various charitable organizations and the impactful work they do. Throughout this series, we aim to shed light on the initiatives and causes that deserve your support. When it comes to recommendations, you can trust Jpost's thorough research and commitment to highlighting reputable organizations that make a real difference. Our team diligently evaluates each charity's transparency, effectiveness, and alignment with meaningful causes, ensuring that your generosity is directed towards the most deserving and impactful initiatives.