Holiday Giving Guide: How to Make Sure your End-of-Year Gifts Do Good

As we enter the season of giving, it’s smart to refresh yourself on the best practices for charitable giving. There are many worthy causes to support, but doing some extra research and planning will help ensure your donations do the most good!

Bring Good Home!

Here’s are some tips to help you make sure your holiday giving makes a big impact:

Do some online research

Before you donate this giving season, do a little research online to find reviews and ratings of the organization. Websites like Give.org, GuideStar, and Charity Navigator can help you learn more and make a wise giving decision. If tax deductions are important to you, you’ll want to find an organization that has a 501(c)(3) designation by the IRS.

 Find out how your donations will be used

Next, it’s important to find out how your donations will be used by the organization. At Ohio Valley Goodwill, we collect donations of gently-used clothing and home goods and prepare them for resale in our network of retail stores in and around Cincinnati. The proceeds raised from the sale of donated items will help support life-changing vocational programs and services for local individuals with disabilites and our nation’s veterans. When items can’t be sold in our retail stores, we work with recycling partners to reduce waste. Read more about Ohio Valley Goodwill’s programs and services here.

Your donations make a difference!  

Steer clear of scams

Unfortunately, charity scams are common during the holidays. Scammers will pretend to be nonprofit organizations and take advantage of donors’ generosity during the giving season. The good news is that you can avoid charity scams if you know what you look for.

• Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. A legitimate nonprofit will be happy to receive a donation anytime you’re ready to make it.
• Be careful how you pay. Don’t donate in cash, gift cards, or money wire transfers. This is how scammers will ask you to pay. The safer way to donate is to pay by credit card or check after you have researched the charity.
• Think before you click. Hover over hyperlinks in emails to be sure the link is taking you to the correct website. Scammers will often make websites designed to steal your information or download viruses onto your computer.
• Double-check the name of the charity. Scammers may use a phony charity name that sounds like a well-known organization to trick you into trusting them.

While for-profit donation boxes aren’t a scam, they can be misleading. If you want your donates goods to have the biggest impact in your community, donate directly to your local Ohio Valley Goodwill!

Donations box

Give the gift of good this holiday season

Ohio Valley Goodwill makes it easy to give back and do good! Simply gather up the items you want to donate and drop them off at your local donation center. We gladly accept donations of clothing, shoes, accessories, home goods, and even cars! Best of all, we make the donation process quick and easy so you can get back to your busy day. If you prefer donating financially, you can always donate to Ohio Valley Goodwill online.

Thank you for supporting Goodwill and being a job creator in your community!