4 Tips to Find the Cause You Can Donate To
As children, we were all taught that if we can help someone in need, we should. This act of kindness serves two purposes: one, it doesn’t harm us in any way; and two, it brings a smile to the face of the person you help because you helped them when no one else did. While this stayed as an abstract concept in our childhood, it paints an entirely different picture as adults. We learn that social work is a field many people dedicate their lives to.
In a country like India, many underprivileged people are stuck in their predicament and need help. No single individual can help them. This is the reason why there are hundreds of charities and non-government organisations for every cause in every state. They are working towards making India better and helping the people who need help. Now that you are in a position to help, the question is, how can you do that? When you have thousands of charities and hundreds of causes to choose from, how do you decide which cause deserves your support? It’s a tough decision. Well, here are 4 tips for you to find the cause you can donate to:
- Take Recommendations from Friends
One of the easiest and simplest ways to find the charities you can donate to is by taking recommendations from someone who does it regularly. Most people know at least one person who donates to a charity every month. If you don’t know anyone who does it, ask around, and you will find a friend of a friend who does it. They are your best source to know which causes you can/should donate to. Most people who donate to charities and NGOs donate to different causes, say a different cause every month. They will guide you on how to find the causes you care the most about and how to start donating for them. Charity donation is now done on online platforms because almost every charity or NGO has a website. This means that you don’t need to visit the NGO to donate to it.
- Make a List of Causes You Care About
Just in case you don’t have a friend or even a friend of a friend, you will have to do the work by yourself. And that is okay. Many people do it. When you find the causes and charities to donate to, you will be that friend to whom people will come for recommendations. Take a piece of paper and a pen and write down the causes you care. Take help of the internet, if you have to. Find what causes various NGOs and charities are working for. When you make a list, you will have a rough idea of what causes you care about the most. It’s okay if you don’t include every cause on your list. No person can donate to all causes. It will be overwhelming. What is important is to first have a list of causes you care about.
- Make the List Shorter
This is going to sound like a difficult task but do it anyway: try to shorten the list. There is no hard and fast rule that you have to shorten the list to a certain number. Take your time and shorten the list. The role of this tip here is to help you find the causes you care about the most. And again, it’s okay if you care about certain causes more than others. That’s normal. For instance, if you care about the medical surgeries of differently-abled children more than other causes, it is normal. Everyone cares about different causes for different reasons. Once you shorten the list, you will have a number of causes that you care the most about and would like to extend your support to.
- Find out the Charities Working for Your Causes
Now your real research begins. Find out the charities and NGOs that work for the causes you have written on your list. In this age of technology, it’s important to vet the NGOs. A short internet search will help you connect to the right charities. A good way to know if the charity is genuine is to see if it offers tax deductions on your donation. The Government of India encourages people to donate. It does it by providing deductions on your taxable income for a donation under Section 80G. At the end of it, you will have a list of charities that you can donate to. You can donate to a different charity every month as well.
Donation to NGOs and charities is an act that should be encouraged. It is a selfless act that shows you care about other people and are willing to help them. The aforementioned tips will help you find the right charities that you can start donating to.
