End-of-Year Giving: Tips & #Giveaway from @WorldVision

This is traditionally the time of year when organizations ask for donations, right?  Whether you're responding to a solicitation or choosing a charity on your own, here are a few tips, courtesy of World Vision:

1. Find a charity with a track record; review the organization’s IRS tax status, check how it spends money and makes important decisions. Good places to find this information are Charity Navigator and GuideStart. 
2. Be thoughtful about an organization’s overhead and administrative costs; cost efficiency is an important factor when choosing a charity, but effectiveness is the key.
3. Ask questions before you give – visit a charity’s website, send an email, or call if you have concerns. 
4. See what others are saying about the charity of your choice via social media and trusted online forums. 
5. Watch for scams; be on your guard for emails that ask for credit card or other personal information. Check the Better Business Bureau Charity Reviews website (www.bbb.org/charity-reviews) before giving.

Do you know World Vision, which is sponsoring this post?  World Vision is a non-profit humanitarian organization which has been helping struggling children and families, in the US and around the world, for decades.  Through World Vision you can sponsor a child or make a one-time gift, either for a specific purpose or for wherever the need is greatest.

My family has always enjoyed giving through the World Vision Gift Catalog.  When my son was younger, he could better understand that we were giving something tangible:  ducks or a fishing kit or an alpaca.

Also through the Gift Catalog, you can donate where the need is greatest and receive a handcrafted gift.  These include jewelry, accessories, and more.  I chose the Fair-Trade Coffee Set.  This is described as a "delicious 12 oz. whole bean coffee set. Delicious flavors from Ethiopia, Sumatra, and Costa Rica blended by OneCup.org delivered in a gift bag of African fabric hand-sewn by local women. Also with hand-carved olivewood scoop made to benefit over 200 orphans of the Kamba tribe."

I haven't tried the coffee yet, but I can tell you that the fabric bag and everything in this set is just beautiful.

For more information, visit World Vision or World Vision on Facebook.

Now, would you like to win this Fair-Trade Coffee Set?  Just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below, and good luck!

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