Q. In the wake of the shooting disaster in our community, how may I donate money and be comfortable it will reach the victims' families?
A. This event in our community is shocking and emotional. Many people want to support and donate to the families of the victims, police services, and the community. There will be many charities and organizations wanting to support the families.
At this time, the following charities have been designated. They meet standards and accreditation for charitable giving and are positioned to execute the mission objectives for the families. For more on the standards for charitable giving, visit www.give.org.
1) National Center for Victims of Crime
* Mission objective: Provide immediate direct assistance to the victims' families.
* Donate online: www.NationalCompassionFund.org
P.O. Box 360681
Pittsburg, PA 15251-6681
(Write checks payable to: National Compassion Fund Chattanooga)
2) Scholarship and care for local victims handled by the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga
* Mission objective: Support long term care and a scholarship fund for spouses and children of victims.
* Donate online: www.cfgc.org
1270 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(Write checks payable to: Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga with "7-16 Freedom Fund" on the Memo line)
3) Heroes fund by the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga
* Mission objective: To provide a continuation of financial support to help the families and individuals directly affected by the shooting meet longer-term financial need.
* Donate online: www.cfgc.org
1270 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(Write checks payable to: Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga with "Chattanooga Heroes Fund" on the Memo line)
BBB is warning donors to be on the lookout for questionable solicitors and scammers, not to mention people who might have good intentions but no experience with charity fund raising or how to execute a mission objective.
BBB Wise Giving Alliance, the national charity monitoring arm of the Better Business Bureau, urges donors to give thoughtfully and avoid those seeking to take advantage of the generosity of others. Here are BBB WGA's tips for trusted giving in the wake of a tragedy:
1. Thoughtful Giving: Take the time to check out the charity to avoid wasting your generosity by donating to a questionable or poorly managed effort. The first request for a donation may not be the best choice. Be proactive and find trusted charities that are providing assistance.
2. State Government Registration: The States of Tennessee and Georgia require charities to register with its state government agency (State Attorney General's office) before they solicit for charitable gifts. If the charity is not registered, that may be a significant red flag.
3. Respecting Victims and Their Families: Organizations raising funds should get permission from the families to use either the names of the victims and/or any photographs of them. Some charities raising funds for the victims of previous shootings did not do this and were the subject of criticism from victims' families.
4. How Will Donations Be Used? Watch out for vague appeals that don't identify the intended use of funds. For example, how will the donations help victims' families? Also, unless told otherwise, donors will assume that funds collected quickly in the wake of a tragedy will be spent just as quickly. See if the appeal identifies when the collected funds will be used.
5. What if a Family Sets Up Its Own Assistance Fund? Some families may decide to set up their own assistance funds. Be mindful that such funds may not be set up as charities. Also, make sure that collected monies are received and administered by a third party such as a bank, CPA or lawyer. This will help provide oversight and ensure the collected funds are used appropriately (e.g., paying for funeral costs, counseling, and other tragedy-related needs.)
6. Advocacy Organizations: Tragedies that involve violent acts with firearms can also generate requests from a variety of advocacy organizations that address gun use. Donors can support these efforts as well but note that some of these advocacy groups are not tax exempt as charities. Also, watch out for newly created advocacy groups that will be difficult to check out.
7. Online Cautions: Never click on links to charities on unfamiliar websites or in texts or emails. These may take you to a lookalike website where you will be asked to provide personal financial information or to click on something that downloads harmful malware into your computer. Don't assume that charity recommendations on Facebook, blogs or other social media have already been vetted.
8. Financial Transparency: After funds are raised for a tragedy, it is even more important for organizations to provide an accounting of how funds were spent. Transparent organizations will post this information on their websites so that anyone can find out and not have to wait until the audited financial statements are available sometime in the future.
9. Newly Created or Established Organizations: This is a personal giving choice, but an established charity will more likely have the experience to quickly address the circumstances and have a track record that can be evaluated. A newly formed organization may be well-meaning but will be difficult to check out and may not be well managed.
10. Tax Deductibility: Not all organizations collecting funds to assist this tragedy are tax exempt as charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donors can support these other entities but keep this in mind if they want to take a deduction for federal income tax purposes. In addition, contributions that are donor-restricted to help a specific individual/family are not deductible as charitable donations, even if the recipient organization is a charity.
Jim Winsett is president of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga.