Giving safely on Giving Tuesday

We’ve gone through Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and now today, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is known as Giving Tuesday.  The annual day designated for charitable donations first occurred in 2012. It has since resulted in more than a billion dollars of charitable contributions globally.

The state’s Better Business Bureau has some tips for giving safely on Giving Tuesday.  

• Look up a charity at the Better Business Bureau’s website devoted to evaluating them: Give.org. Using 20 standards of accountability, those interested can learn about a charity’s effectiveness, reputation and transparency.
• Know the exact name of a charity to contribute to. Watch out for groups that may be trying to trick unsuspecting victims with a sound-alike name.
• Visit the charity’s direct website to learn of its mission, programs and measurable goals.

The Better Business Bureau suggests that people research a charity before deciding whether or not to give.  

A link to the Better Business Bureau’s website can be found here.