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These charities are household names and with good reason. They're big and global,
with budgets exceeding $100 million and net assets of at least $65 million. Yet they
manage to do exceptional work both at home and abroad, all while maintaining topnotch financial management and transparency standards.

With any charity but especially with these 10 large, far-reaching ones it's
important to confirm that they, in fact, do the kind of work you're passionate about
supporting. "We encourage donors to look under the hood of the charity, especially
large ones with multiple programs and services, to ensure that the charity is actually
doing the work that they want to advance," says Sandra Miniutti, vice president of
marketing for Charity Navigator, a service that provides information about a
charity's functions, finances and management. It, along with BBB Wise Giving
Alliance and Charity Watch, is free to use, although others charge both the site
user and the charity being rated.
Miniutti says it's also important to note how a charity's revenue is trending over time.
If there are consecutive years of decreases, that could be a red flag.
The following are some of the largest and highest-rated charities helping women,
children, the poor and the environment throughout the world, according to Charity
Navigator. Their scores ranked on a scale of 1 to 100 are based on financial
health, accountability and the transparency of reporting.
This story is part of NBCU's.

10. Natural Resources Defense Council

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The focus of this New York City-based organization is nothing short of global: safeguard the
Earth, its people, plants and animals and the natural systems that sustain life. Since its
start in 1970, the Natural Resources Defense Council has worked with businesses,
elected officials and community groups on issues such as global warming, cleaning up
our oceans and water supplies, the need for sustainable communities and food
security.

The NRDC has 2 million members and online activists worldwide and counts on some
500 scientists, lawyers and policy advocates for expertise and counsel.

9. United Nations Foundation

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Created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner,
the United Nations Foundation links the U.N.'s work with others around the world,
mobilizing the energy and expertise of business and non-governmental organizations
to help the U.N. tackle issues including climate change, global health, peace and
security, women's empowerment, poverty eradication, energy access, and U.S.-U.N.
relations.

To date, the U.N. Foundation and its partners have helped the U.N. keep girls in school;
prevent child marriage; increase access to reproductive health education, services,
and supplies; provide families with sustainable energy; cut measles deaths by 85
percent in Africa; distribute more than 6 million anti-malaria bed nets to 25 African
countries; reduce polio incidence by 99 percent worldwide; and champion the
payment of close to $2 billion in U.S. dues to the U.N.

8. Caring Voice Coalition

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The Caring Voice Coalition empowers patients who live with a life-threatening chronic
disease through comprehensive outreach programs and services aimed at financial,
emotional and educational support.

Based in Mechanicsville, Virginia, the charity provides grants to help ease the financial
burden of medication co-payments and health insurance premiums so that patients
can start and remain on their prescription therapies. It also helps with alternate
coverage, Social Security Disability assistance and patient support programs for
insured or underinsured patients.

7. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

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Pastor Billy Graham established the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in 1950 as a
way to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible. Today the
organization, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, conducts its ministries through the
BGEA and includes the weekly Hour of Decision radio program broadcast around the
world and a syndicated newspaper column called "My Answer."

After 9/11 the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team was started to provide emotional
and spiritual care to individuals and communities living through a sudden tragedy.
Volunteer chaplains minister to people in need by listening, praying and offering
practical assistance.

6. Catholic Medical Mission Board

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Providing health care for the world's poor is the mission of CMMB, a leading faithbased organization. It accomplishes this by building healthy, sustainable communities
through local engagement and partnerships and by focusing on the leading causes of
mortality for mothers and children in targeted communities throughout Africa, Latin
America and the Caribbean.

Over the past year alone, CMMB has helped nearly 44,000 pregnant women get
access to better care and has distributed $266 million worth of medicine in the
poorest countries around the world.

5. AmeriCares

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AmeriCares is an emergency response and global health organization that saves
lives and builds healthier futures for people in crisis in the United States and around
the world. Since it was established in 1979, AmeriCares has delivered more than $12
billion in humanitarian aid to 164 countries, including the United States. It recently
sent medicines and supplies to Haiti in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew and is
helping in the fight against Zika throughout Latin America and the Caribbean by
partnering with hospitals and clinics.

A big focus of AmeriCares is educating community health workers so they in turn can
build a stronger health-care system in the cities and towns where they live and work.

4. Samaritan's Purse

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Since 1970, Samaritan's Purse has helped meet the needs of people who are
victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine, with the purpose of
sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ. Through its ministry, Operation
Christmas Child, the organization has delivered more than 135 million shoe boxes
filled with gifts to poor children in more than 150 countries.

Its World Medical Mission sends doctors, equipment and supplies to underprivileged
countries. Community development and vocational programs in impoverished villages

and neighborhoods around the world help people break the cycle of poverty and give
them hope for a better tomorrow.

3. The Rotary Foundation

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This charity brings together a global network of volunteers who dedicate their time
and talent to tackle the world's most pressing humanitarian challenges. The Rotary
Foundation connects 1.2 million members from more than 200 countries to projects
that focus on disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, and maternal
and child health.

PolioPlus is one of its biggest initiatives and seeks to eradicate polio around the world.
Since the program's start in 1985, Rotary and its partners, including the World Health

Organization and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, have immunized more than 2.5
billion children in 122 countries.

2. MAP International

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MAP International is a global Christian health organization that partners with people
living in conditions of poverty to save lives and develop healthier families and
communities. For instance, it recently sent medicine and disaster-relief supplies to
Haiti in the wake of the devastation left by Hurricane Matthew.

Founded in 1954, MAP also helps to prevent disease by improving water supplies and
promotes health to create hope and lasting change in more than 115 countries. It
works with local leaders to help educate and train communities to deal with health
threats such as HIV/AIDS, and partners with more than 300 organizations, agencies
and medical missions around the world.

1. Direct Relief

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Founded in 1948, Direct Relief is California's largest international humanitarian
nonprofit organization. The organization provides medical assistance to improve the
health and lives of people affected by poverty and disaster, both in the United States
and throughout the world.

Since 2000, Direct Relief has responded to a wide range of urgent and ongoing health
emergencies by providing more than $3.4 billion in essential material resources such
as medicine, supplies and equipment, including more than $500 million in assistance
in the United States.