Every year, millions of people help the disadvantaged. There are organizations that help the poor with food and housing, that seek to raise public awareness about an environmental threat, or that rescue animals. Today there are both public charities and private ones.
A charity is an organization that works for the common good. Today there is usually no gain in return for these services, but this was not always the case. Although the earliest charities created in London in the 18th century asked for nothing in return, some later organizations did much good while earning a return on investment for their supporters. The first recognized groups operating outside the church sought to help the poor in London, such as abandoned children and girls forced into prostitution in order to survive.
The first effort was the Foundling Hospital, which took abandoned children off the streets of the city and sought to give them food, shelter, and skills that would help them as adults. The Magdalen Hospital hoped to rescue girls from prostitution and set them on the path to a better life. Others gave families land to grow food on, since wages were woefully inadequate.
Today there are educational non-profits, ones that provide food, clean water, and shelter to the poor, others that hope to save endangered species or environmental treasures, and others that work with the homeless. The classification of 'public' or 'private' is dependent on tax codes and civic regulations. These will differ in every nation, as charities abound around the globe.
In the United States, a publicly presented charity is one that has many donors and is actively and directly engaged in furthering its mission. Private ones are foundations that are funded by one individual, corporation, or other donor. For example, industrialists like Andrew Carnegie funded public libraries, founded children's homes, built hospitals and universities, and did other good works with their money.
All the money that a public charity requires does not necessarily come from citizens. The government provides funding for many of them, and they can qualify for grants from private groups. There is some fraud, greed, and mismanagement among the many entities that solicit support, but the majority of these groups do a great deal of good.
Even with IRS attempts to make sure that this program is not used as a tax dodge, there is much room for legal siphoning off of funds, outright fraud, and mismanagement. If people want to make sure their gifts are used effectively, they can check with agencies that evaluate charitable entities and rate them. If a large amount goes to administration rather than to the field, the entity has huge bank balances, or the benefits are small, they may choose to give elsewhere.
A charity may work in a certain area, like the Appalachian Mountains where many live in poverty or among the Native American tribes. Others are international, like Feed The Poor or the World Wildlife Association. Some are targeted to certain segments of the population, like those that provide scholarships, while others, like the Salvation Army, serve all who are in need. Some have political clout, while others work in obscurity.
A charity is an organization that works for the common good. Today there is usually no gain in return for these services, but this was not always the case. Although the earliest charities created in London in the 18th century asked for nothing in return, some later organizations did much good while earning a return on investment for their supporters. The first recognized groups operating outside the church sought to help the poor in London, such as abandoned children and girls forced into prostitution in order to survive.
The first effort was the Foundling Hospital, which took abandoned children off the streets of the city and sought to give them food, shelter, and skills that would help them as adults. The Magdalen Hospital hoped to rescue girls from prostitution and set them on the path to a better life. Others gave families land to grow food on, since wages were woefully inadequate.
Today there are educational non-profits, ones that provide food, clean water, and shelter to the poor, others that hope to save endangered species or environmental treasures, and others that work with the homeless. The classification of 'public' or 'private' is dependent on tax codes and civic regulations. These will differ in every nation, as charities abound around the globe.
In the United States, a publicly presented charity is one that has many donors and is actively and directly engaged in furthering its mission. Private ones are foundations that are funded by one individual, corporation, or other donor. For example, industrialists like Andrew Carnegie funded public libraries, founded children's homes, built hospitals and universities, and did other good works with their money.
All the money that a public charity requires does not necessarily come from citizens. The government provides funding for many of them, and they can qualify for grants from private groups. There is some fraud, greed, and mismanagement among the many entities that solicit support, but the majority of these groups do a great deal of good.
Even with IRS attempts to make sure that this program is not used as a tax dodge, there is much room for legal siphoning off of funds, outright fraud, and mismanagement. If people want to make sure their gifts are used effectively, they can check with agencies that evaluate charitable entities and rate them. If a large amount goes to administration rather than to the field, the entity has huge bank balances, or the benefits are small, they may choose to give elsewhere.
A charity may work in a certain area, like the Appalachian Mountains where many live in poverty or among the Native American tribes. Others are international, like Feed The Poor or the World Wildlife Association. Some are targeted to certain segments of the population, like those that provide scholarships, while others, like the Salvation Army, serve all who are in need. Some have political clout, while others work in obscurity.
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Get a summary of the things to consider before selecting public charities and more information about a great charity organization at http://tableofplentyhmb.org/board-of-directors now.
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