ConsumerReports: Best and worst charities to donate to this holiday season

Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017

(WRDW/WAGT) -- As you decide which charities to donate to this holiday season, we're on your side with what

ConsumerReports.org

is deeming the best and worst.

Animal Welfare:

BEST	African Wildlife Foundation (Washington, DC) Animal Welfare Institute (Washington, DC) Keepers of the Wild (Valentine, AZ) PetSmart Charities (Phoenix, AZ) Red Rover (Sacramento, CA)
WORST	Noah's Lost Ark (Berlin Center, OH) Tiger Missing Link Foundation (Tyler, TX) SPCA International (New York, NY)

Blind and Visually Impaired:

BEST	Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind (Smithtown, NY) Hearing Health Foundation (New York, NY) Orbis/Project Orbis International (New York, NY) National Federation for the Blind (Baltimore, MD) Seva Foundation (Berkeley, Calif.)
WORST	American Council for the Blind (Alexandria, VA) Heritage for the Blind (Brooklyn, NY) Macular Degeneration Association (Sarasota, FL)

Cancer:

BEST	Breast Cancer Research Foundation (New York, NY) Cancer Research Institute (New York, NY) Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (New York, NY) Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (Manhattan Beach, CA) Prevent Cancer Foundation (Alexandria, VA)
WORST	American Breast Cancer Foundation (Columbia, MD) Cancer Survivors' Fund (Missouri City, TX) Childhood Leukemia Foundation (Brick, NJ) National Cancer Center (Plainview, NY) Walker Cancer Research Institute (Aberdeen, MD)

Child Protection:

BEST	Prevent Child Abuse America (Chicago, IL) Children Incorporated (Chesterfield, VA) Marine Toys for Tots Foundation (Triangle, VA) Pearl S. Buck International (Perkasie, PA) Ronald McDonald House Charities (Oak Brook, IL)
WORST	Children's Wish Foundation International (Atlanta, GA) Committee for Missing Children (Lawrenceville, GA) Find the Children (Santa Monica, CA) Kids Wish Network (Holiday, FL)

Environment:

BEST	American Bird Conservancy (The Plains, VA) Conservation Fund (Arlington, VA) Sierra Club Foundation (Oakland, CA) Waterkeeper Alliance (New York, NY) World Resources Institute (Washington, DC)
WORST	Cousteau Society (Etna, NH)

Health:

BEST	American Kidney Fund (Rockville, MD) Lupus Research Alliance (New York, NY) Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (New York, NY) National Hemophilia Foundation (New York, NY) American Lung Association (Chicago, IL)
WORST	Defeat Diabetes Foundation (Madeira Beach, FL) Heart Center of America (Knoxville, TN) National Caregiving Foundation (Dunkirk, MD) National Emergency Medicine Association (Edgewood, MD) Parkinson Research Foundation (Sarasota, FL)

International relief and development:

BEST	All Hands Volunteers (Mattapoisett, MA) Charity:water (New York, NY) Fistula Foundation (San Jose, CA) Operation USA (Los Angeles, CA) UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief, Atlanta, GA)
WORST	Salesian Missions (New Rochelle, NY) World Villages for Children (Annapolis, MD)

Mental health and disabilities:

BEST	Alzheimer's Association (Chicago, IL) American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (New York, NY) Arc of the United States (Washington, DC) Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (New York, NY) NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness, Arlington, VA)
WORST	Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation (Schererville, IN)

Police and firefighter support:

WORST

Veterans:

BEST	Homes for Our Troops (Taunton, MA) National Military Family Association (Alexandria, VA) Operation Homefront (San Antonio, TX) The Mission Continues (St. Louis, MO) Wounded Warriors Family Support (Omaha, NE)
WORST	Disabled Veterans National Foundation (Lanham, MD) Help The Vets (Orlando, FL) Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation (Annandale, VA) National Veterans Services Fund (Darien, CT) Veterans Support Foundation (Silver Spring, MD)

Youth Development:

BEST	Boys and Girls Clubs of America (Atlanta, GA) DonorsChoose.org (New York, NY) Girls Inc. (New York, NY) National 4-H Council (Chevy Chase, MD) Scholarship America (Minneapolis, MN)
WORST	Law Enforcement Education Program (Troy, MI) National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League (Wellington, FL)

How to Detect Charity Scams

The Federal Trade Commission says these signs should make you suspicious:

- The “charity” can’t provide details about how donations are used.

- The caller can’t provide proof—like a Federal tax ID number—that it’s a qualified charity and that your donation is tax-deductible.

- You're pushed to donate immediately.

- You’re asked to wire a donation.

- You're thanked for a pledge you never made to convince you that you already agreed to donate.