Statewide Iowa — With just a few days left in 2021, many Iowans are making year-end donations to charities, but they’re warned to look closely before writing the check.
Teresa Fritz, with the Better Business Bureau, says to do some research before donating a dime. Fritz says the bureau evaluates hundreds of charities at the website Give.org based on 20 different factors, with one of the biggest being accountability.
Many charities receive one-third of their annual donations during the holiday season, so these year-end gifts are important. Fritz says sometimes the names of organizations will sound alike, but their support is very different.
If you get a phone call from a charity you’re not familiar with, don’t give, especially if someone is pressuring you. When you’re making a gift, she suggests plastic may have advantages over cash or a check.
Anyone can access the Better Business Bureau’s Give.org website for free. It’s part of the Wise Giving Alliance.
