November and December are the two biggest months for charities to raise money, since people tend to be in a more giving mood around the holidays. And some people use the end of the year to donate to charities for tax purposes.
Still, it can be tough to tell which organizations actually use the money to help people rather than to fatten the wallets of administrators.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is trying to make it a little easier by creating a gift-givers guide, listing all 16,000 charities registered in the state. Department spokeswoman Liz Compton says if a charity isn't listed in the guide, it could be a scam.“It is a huge two months of giving, and the charities know this. They are putting out their strongest and best efforts to raise money right now", Compton said. "So, the public has to put out their strongest and best effort to educate themselves so they make sure their dollars are going to the needy and not into somebody’s pocket.”
Compton advises people to check out the charities they're supporting and see what percentage of the money is spent on administrative costs versus program services.
To check out your favorite charity or download a copy of the gift-givers guide, visit www.FreshFromFlorida.com.