You probably have the same problem I had: Dozens of deserving charities hitting you up for donations all the time. Should you give to feed starving children in this country or try to wipe out a certain disease in that country? Most seem worthy and you can only spare so much. How do you decide where it goes?
A few decades ago, I read in Dan Rather's autobiography how he'd solved that dilemma. He decided the Salvation Army did enormously good work without a lot of the money going into executive pockets and he decided to make that charity the recipient of all that he could afford to donate. I have a feeling he could and did donate a lot more than I ever could but I liked the principle.
I looked around, read some reports and decided on Operation USA, which then had a different name. That I happened to know some of the folks involved in its top-level management and knew them to be good, sincere people was a deciding factor but by no means the only one. The surveys that monitor such things told me that I wouldn't get any more "bang" for my buck anywhere else. They spent very little on themselves and as much as possible on helping those in need of help.
Obviously, I am mentioning this here today because of the great tragedy and devastation in Nepal. If you feel like you'd like to do something to help, a donation to Operation USA will do a whole lot o' good. For the people in need over there and for your spirit over here.
