COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Before donating to any charity it's important to do your research.
Katie Carrol from the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado (BBB) offers this advice:
* Do take time to check out the charity you are considering giving to. Review the charity's website.
* Find out if the charity is providing direct aid or raising money for other groups. You may want to avoid the middleman and give to a charity that has a presence in the region.
* Find out what stage of relief the charity intends to provide. Are they in the emergency response stage, disaster relief or recovery stage?
* Do be wary of claims that 100 percent of your donation will assist relief victims. All charities have administrative costs.
* Make sure the charity is registered to solicit donations in your state by checking with the Secretary of State's office.
* Watch out for newly created entities that don't have a trace record of the experience to provide disaster relief.
CLICK HERE to find out a charity's BBB rating.
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