We are looking for charities for our regular annual charity-giving. Specifically we would like an organization working to help the poor in the underdeveloped world, preferably working with children (though not necessarily). Obviously, the charity organization should have a good repute, some transparency and shouldn’t be spending lots of money on its administrative expenses.
We would prefer a secular organization, but here are our priorities in terms of religion:
- Secular
- Muslim
- Jewish
- Christian
- Other religious
We would really appreciate any pointers to charitable organizations.
I can’t vouch for them myself, but I’ve seen some people speak well of these folk: http://www.heifer.org/index_no_flash.htm
Forbes rated them as a Top Ten charity for “highest impact”: http://www.heifer.org/Inside_Heifer/Financial_Info.shtml
http://www.vivelacasa.org.
They assist refugees within the USA. Located inn Buffalo NY…they have approx. 10,000 refugees at any given time and 50% are Muslim. They need R help…not only money but many personal belongings. Lately there has been an alarming number of very young Pakistani women being dropped off at the front door at VIVE with young babies….usually with nothing but the clothes they are wearing…some are badly beaten.
This a very legitimate organization…and you know your efforts are not going to waste or ending up overseas in God knows who’s hands!!! Not only are you helping Muslims but you are helping people from other parts of the world and other religions.
Its time to help right here where we live!!
Peace and light.
– Ali
There’s always Mercy Corps, which has very low overhead and quietly does a lot of great works.
There’s also Project Apollonia, which I only discovered yesterday. I don’t know their admin overhead, but their mission seems cool.
I personally know that these are good folks doing good things…
Human Development Foundation of North America [http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2003/Aug03/08/07.html]
they set up clinics and schools in villages across Sindh and Punjab.
You might try the good folks at the seva foundation
http://www.seva.org/ , an organization Hugh Romney has been active in for years. They started with glaucoma treatment in Asia and I believe they now are also involved with Native American diabetes related activities. As far as I know they have one of the highest % of donations going to actual recipients of any charity anywhere
Akanksha (http://www.akanksha.org/index1.htm) do good work with children who need specialised care and attention; I know their work mostly because of friends who are involved in their activities, so I can vouch for them. Apart from the usual, ActionAid in India impressed the hell out of me with their work on relief and rehabilitation of disaster and riot survivors; I think they have a good national organisation in Pakistan as well that has a good reputation; the Haqooq Parchar unit in particular tackling problems that frequently get ignored or overlooked.
CRY: Child Relief and You
CRY America
I helped out with a car-wash fundraiser for this organization over the past weekend, and we raised over $500 in 4 hours (the car-wash was technically free, but donations were accepted). We put the “fun” in “fundraising,” hell yeah.
There R way 2 many charities…and 2 many ppl that need help. Just select one and be happy that you helped someone. If you work with organizations that sends stuff overseas…just be careful with what they do with the money/stuff in the end. There is one organization out of Toledo OH (cant think of the name)…supposedly helps Muslims..but it looks quite ‘fishy’ to me.
Only Allah knows your true intentions and you will be provided blessings accordingly.
I am firm believer in helping “local” people – around where you live…cuz you live among them and helping someone should start locally.
Regards,
– Ali
http://www.thisisali.com
Thank you, everyone. These are all good suggestions. I need to look at these charities and make some decisions now.
DEAR SIR/MADAM,
WE ARE CHARITY ORGANIZATION HERE IN NIGERIA WEST AFRICA,PLEASE WE WANT YOU TO HELP THE POOR CHILDREN BECAUSE THE ARE DIEING , BECAUSE THERE IS NO HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT , THAT IT WHY WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU.SO PLEASE WE WANT YOU TO HELP,AND ALSO GOD WILL BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY .
THANK YOU
GOD BLESS YOU.
REGARDS.
CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS.
i want work with u
Zakat for Muslims Only?
My post asking for charity recommendations elicited a few questions about Zakat (the obligatory Muslim charity). I was told that Zakat is only to be given to Muslims. I had heard something like that before, but I decided to look…
Hello,
I am executive director of World-wild Harvest Center in Uganda. Currently we are involved in projects to improve livelihoods of rural people of the war torn Northern Uganda. What is the possibility of getting assistance on promotion of high value tree species for better livelihoods?
Hope to hear from you soon,
Peter Okello
I am living in a remote village of Pakistan .The people of my village live in abject poverty I would like the charitable organisations to help the people of my village
zaheer ahmed Okara Pakistan
Peace, Love & Joy to you.
Christian Welfare Foundation has been very active in West ridge Parish
for the last five years. Organizing youth of CWF has been blessed for
serving the Parish very richly. The youth members have decided to
organize CWF properly and shall work for the welfare of West ridge
community.
It is our vision to support community children in their education
through computer courses on very reasonable price; this will also
support one teacher to run his kitchen.
We are in a process to organize the paper work and the construction of
centre. We need to raise total amount of fund Rs. 150,000/- at initial
stage to start this project.
We have been encouraged by many Community members to take the
initiative for poor Christian student.
Please go through our attached file to know our history and motives.
For verification you may visit or can ask by Rev Fr Koomen Peter
(plkoomen@hotmail.com) ,Parish priest of Sacred Heart Church
Rawalpindi.
Please send your donation on account of Shahid s/o John Samuel
Account No. 0139-02000092
Bank Alfalah Peshawar Road
Rawalpindi, Cantt.
Pakistan.
Please accept my sincere thanks,
Shahid John
General Secretary & Fund raising coordinator
Cell No# 0302-5073072
0346-5976966
christianwelfarefoundation@gmail.com
Hi….this post was FOREVER ago. Are you currently looking for a nonprofit?? I work with one that is a secular nonprofit that runs an all girls orphanage in Kenya.
Interested??? Let me know!
Ashley
I would suggest that you donate to Bike and Build. They are not affiliated with any religion and they promote affordable housing in the United States. I would recommend checking out the website. It is also all led by volunteers. Here is how it works: every year young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 apply to bike across the country on one of eight routes. In order to do so, they must fundraise 4,000 dollars. Along the route, the participants help build houses and give presentations about the need for affordable housing in the United States. The 4,000 dollars that each rider raises gets distributed to housing projects across the country though a grant program.
I will be biking across the country with a route leaving from Providence, RI to Half Moon Bay, CA this summer. So far I have raised 2,000 but I still need 4,000 more. If you do decide to donate to Bike and Build, I would be extremely grateful if you did it through my name. Simply go to http://www.bikeandbuild.org/rider/4884 and click on donate. It is a secure way to donate (through google checkout) and it is tax-deductible.
Thank you and good luck!