MAGNOLIA
CLIPPING SERVICE
(601) 856-0911 I (205) 758-8610
DAILY JOURNAL
TUPELO, MS
Circulation = 34322
DAILY
12/08/2009
Ii 11\ \11111111 1111111111111111111111\
State proyi~es easy-to-use
tool to check out charities
na December mood?
I
Fe~ling generous?
Wallet empty?
Not a pg)blem, says
Bill Moak.,pn~sident of the
Better Busin~~Bureau of
MississiPWT .~" - ' -:
Give time: , .'
"The Pe,Jsqhal'rew(!rds for
volunteerjn,g!!t~specially dur­
ing the holiday 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, espe­
cially from someone who
has a bit of expertise - car­
pentry, plumbing, computer
trouble-shooting, bookkeep­
ing, floor mopping.
If nothing else, buy or
bake some cookies and take
them to the office of an or­
ganization you think is
doing good work in your
commul)ily; You sp_end $5
-\iiruthe1t~ gets i6'me'tfi'IDg
invaluable - a vote of en­
cou.ragement.
Mississippians are the
most philanthropic people
in -America. We've'been-told
that for years. The ranking is
based on giving as a per­
centage of income reported
to the Internal Revenue Ser­
vice. The fact we are a state
with alot oflow-income
people ~d a lot of church­
going tithers provides part of
the explanation. But not all
of it. People in this state will
really rally.
I saw what individuals,
formal and informal organi­
zations and nongovernment
agencies did in the after­
math of Hurricane Katrina.
Dozens of groups fed·thou­
san~s of people for weeks.
I watched in a suburban
Baghdad community center
as paralyzed teens accepted
- from a Mississippi church
- the first wheelchairs they'd
ever had.
It's impressive how neigh­
borly MissiSSippians can be.
Others have noticed, too,
and, sadly, the world of
eharities has pecome infest­
ed with predators.
There are groups and indi­
_. ­
(and registration is required)
is available online in full and
searchable formats. Most
public libraries have printed
versions.
When contacted and
asked to give money, a citi­
zen can check the registry
viduals who make fortunes before donating.
by U$ing deception to gain
the compassion of others.
If the charity isn't listed,
it's operating illegally.
Christmas is their feeding If a charity is listed, don't
season.
expect the state to try to tell
So how do you tell if a do­ you whether it's on the leyel.
nation will actually do what It's a free country. Anyone
you want it to do?
can ask for money.
A first step could be called What the annual reports
the "name test." It works al­
do show is how much
most as well as a mathemat­ money a group raised in the
ical formula. Here it is: The
most recent year, the cost of
more emotion-packed raising the money, the cost
words in the organization's
of administrative staff and
name, the more likely the the amount actually spent
organization is not a charity for the stated purpose.
at all. Hence, if the mailman
It does cost money to raise
brings you a solicitation money, so it would be wrong
from the "Society to Provide to hold all staff salaries or
Kittens to the Blind Babies
fundraising expenses against
~~~~terans.~' '19..ul!~
tioning eye5row"ilioUfd go
a ch!P.ily. _
If, however, a report shOWS
up. There are plenty of legiti­ a charity spent 75 cenis or
mate .charities that really aid m.ore of every donated dollar
animals, vision-impaired
on overhead - and a surpris­
£hil,dr!ID and,!!!<I!lY~~t _ ingnumber do - wary donoI'S
veterans. But there are also might choose to give their
plenty of con artists whose
checks to organizations that
only priority is separating minimize their internal costs
you from your mQney. The
to maximize their effect.
harder they pluck your Back to a BBB idea. Moak
heartstrings, the more likely says, and it's true, that chari­
they can get a check.
ties are limited by the tax
Another term bogus code on how much, if any,
groups like to employ is "law lobbying they can do. Volun­
enforcement" or "first re­
teers, however, can be their
sponders." Every honest per­ advocates and write letters
son is grateful for law en­ on their behalf.
forcement and knows first If people have money t6
responders save lives. So it give, the best advice is to
follows that scammers are give it close to home to
not shy about tapping into known, trusted individuals
that gratitude. In tum, they and organizations. Any
do very little, if anything, to group soliciting a gift by
actually support law en­ mail, telephone or otherwise
forcement or first respon­ should be. checked out. The
ders. . state makes it pretty easy to
The second step is using a do.
tool- an invaluable tool­ And remember money, as
the Mississippi Legislature BBB says, is not the only
has made available to the thing that has value. Time
public through the secretary does, too. As do words and
of state's office actions showing support.
(www.sos.state.ms.us) for
several years. Charlie Mitchell is executive ed itor of
An annual report on all The Vicksburg Post. Write to him at Box
charities registered to ask for 821668, Vicksburg, MS 39182, or
money from Mississippians e-mail cmitcheli@Vicksburgpost.com.