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April/May 2007 |
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| Not a week passes that I don’t receive a letter in
the mail or a telephone call asking for a donation. While many of these
organizations are legitimate, some spend little if anything on those in
need. How do you tell the difference?
According to the Missouri Attorney General’s office (MAG), it’s helpful to ask how the money will be spent and what percentage goes to administrative costs. Ask the caller the name and address of the company/organization if the caller is a professional fund-raiser. Most charities and professional fund-raisers operating in Missouri are required to register with the MAG's office. Those exempt include religious organizations and educational institutions. Many of these charities provide information that the Attorney General's office makes available to the public. There is information about their missions, how much money they receive each year, and how much they spend on programs and administrative costs. The information is provided to you as a resource to evaluate various charities. Call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-392-8222 or check out (www.ago.mo.gov) n Read all materials carefully, including the fine print.n Watch for names that closely resemble other organizations. If youaren’t familiar with a charity, do research before making a donation. n Don’t judge a charity by its name. Ask the solicitor to clearlydescribe how your donation will be used. n Watch out for the hard-sell!n Be cautious about letting anyone into your home.n Request copies of the organization's annual reports.n Don’t make cash donations and use you credit card with caution.Make checks payable only to the organization, not an individual. |
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Kris Jenkins jenkinsk@missouri.edu Regional Specialist Human Environmental Sciencs Last revised: 01/29/09 |