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We decide to give our money to those that mean the most to us. What is it that we care about the most directs us to give to one charity over another. They may be equal in importance, but one, in our estimation, is needier. Every day we are inundated with pleas to help this or that starving child, give for disaster relief, educate poor children; contribute to specific religious organizations and on and on. How do we wade through and make the right choices?

Charity Navigator will help you. They have a top ten lists of the best and the worst, the most given to and the most reviewed. American Red Cross tops their list of super-sized charities, following are Food for the Poor, Feed the Children, World Vision, Brother's Brother Foundation, AmeriCare, American Cancer Society, Nature Conservancy, Mayo Clinic, and Volunteers of America.

Another online site concerning itself with rating charities is The American Institute of Philanthropy. Their top ranked sites spend 75% of their donations on their programs and the other 25% on raising 100 dollars of support. And too, they are open to scrutiny. Of the above list The American Red Cross gets an A-, World Vision B+, Brother's Brother Foundation B+, AmeriCares A, and Nature Conservancy gets an A-. Those they didn't rate are still excellent organizations but according to AIP they are not spending at least 75% of their donations on their programs.

Those ranking with an A + according to how well they use their funds are, National Council on Aging, Common Cause Education Fund, UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief, International Rescue Committee, International Medical Corp, Scholarship America, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America, National Military Family Association, Intrepid Fallen Hero Fund, Fisher House Foundation, Africare, Christian Foundation for Foundation and Aging, Child Find of America, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, National Alliance to end Homelessness, Lupus Research Institute, American Kidney Fund, Trust for Public Land, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Conservation Fund.

How do we cut through the confusion and contribute wisely? First we take care of our obligations with our families and don't allow fast talkers and charity spokespersons to cause us to give beyond our capacity to give. Remember charity begins at home. Then we put our charity dollars where our heart is. What means the most to us? After our family, what community organization would we like to help? Do the homeless need help? What organization feeds them? What about our church? Do we support them and their causes?

These are primary concerns. Then we can look beyond and if we have any money to spare, what organizations can we involve ourselves in? Still, most of these have local offices and it is best to get involved with them. That certainly is true of The American Red Cross who is always there when disaster strikes. If you have ever been homeless after a flood and have been rescued by them, you understand their needs. When they make appeals for special needs that you care deeply about, be sure to send something, even if its only five dollars. You were helped, and now you help someone else.

Give no matter how little and it does come back to you in more ways you could ever count. But first, learn where your money goes and make it count. Check out online your favorite charities and learn more about how your money is spent.

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