By Dr. James M. Dahle, WCI Founder
Last week was Thanksgiving. Yesterday was Giving Tuesday. It's now December, and I hope the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Bodhi spirit is beginning to spread across the land. The end of the year is also coming, which matters if you take significant charitable deductions on your tax return. For whatever reason or combination of reasons, annual charitable giving amounts are heavily back-loaded in November and December.
We're no different here in the WCI family; we always have our annual family giving meeting in December where we decide which charities to support this year. This year, we've decided to let the WCI community help out with the process.
The Process to Submit a Charity
Here is how we are going to do it. We are allocating $50,000 of our charitable deductions this year to this “contest.” You can enter the contest by posting one (and only one) comment below the post. You may name one (and only one) charity in the first line of your post. You may then include in your post whatever commentary you'd like to get other readers/commenters to vote for the same charity. You may vote either as a reply to that comment (especially helpful if you're voting for the same charity) or as a separate comment.
If the charity name is not in the first line of the comment, it will not be counted. All other comments will be ignored for voting purposes.
We will give $1,000 each to the 50 charities that get the most votes. If there is a tie, we'll choose our favorite(s) from the tied entries. You will have one week from today to get your votes in, at which point they will no longer count. That means December 8 is the last day to submit your votes. Here are the rules for entries:
- The charity must be registered with the IRS. We're not sending the money to your cousin that was just diagnosed with cancer or somebody's GoFundMe. The plan is to donate through our Vanguard Donor Advised Fund, so if it won't pass their screen as a real charity, it won't pass ours.
- The charity must be rated at least 3 out of 4 stars on Charity Navigator or get at least an A- rating on CharityWatch.org. Look it up before wasting your vote on it, because we will. Yes, we know there are lots of great organizations that are not rated on either site. We have given to them, too. But those charities are not eligible to win this particular contest.
- If there are multiple branches of a charity, we will give to the mother organization and count all votes for the branches as belonging to the mother organization.
- The charity must not be objectionable to a significant percentage of WCIers. That excludes charities such as the NRA Foundation, Planned Parenthood, We Build The Wall, Defund the Police, Donald J. Trump Foundation, Clinton Foundation, etc. You get the picture. Don't waste your vote on a charity that involves a political hot topic or has a politician's name on it. We're the final judges on that score.
- No churches, mosques, or other primarily religious organizations. We already give plenty of money to our own church. If the primary mission of a charity is to spread beliefs, a vote for them is not going to count. For example, you can't vote for the United Pentecostal Foundation, but you could vote for Catholic Relief Services.
- No colleges or universities. We already donate plenty to our alma mater. We're not going to donate to yours. Find a more charitable charity.
OK, that should be enough rules. We reserve the right to change them as we go along in case we made a stupid one. Let's have some fun with this. Don't forget that you want to register your vote AND also include a paragraph below it convincing others to also vote for your favorite charity.
[Update 12/9/2021: The contest is now over and I've turned off the comments on this post. Unfortunately, there were A LOT of people who did not read the rules above, did not bother looking up their favorite charities on the charity rating sites to make sure they were rated, or just assumed that other posters who first listed a charity did that verification for them. There were also several of you who voted multiple times. In the end, over half of the votes didn't count and we didn't actually even come up with 50 charities that met the criteria. We did come up with 47 though. We're sure our kids will be able to make up the difference at our annual meeting. Here are the winners. If your favorite charity did not make the list, it's probably because it did not submit enough info to CharityWatch or CharityNavigator to be rated. It's probably a great charity, but rules are rules. The good news is that I learned about a lot of charities I didn't know about and there are 46 great charities here who will each be getting $1,000! Honorable mention should be made to several charities that got a lot of votes (NF2 BioSolutions, Tri 4 Schools, Isha Foundation, GiveWell, and Best Friends Animal Society, all of which got a lot of votes, even if none of them counted due to their lack of a rating.]
We hope you had as much fun reading about these charities as we did. We encourage you to also donate to the ones you deem worthy. Our family's selected charities this year include:
- Utah Food Bank
- Catholic Community Services
- The Road Home
- Givewell
- 4th Street Clinic
- Utah Refugee Connection
- Sego Lily Center for the Abused Deaf
- Decibels
- Affirmation
- Underground Railroad
- Trevor Project
- Team Seas
- Ronald McDonald House
- Give Directly
- Doctors Without Borders
I nominate One World Surgery.
My family and I have volunteered with them in Honduras, and they are selflessly changing lives now with permanent facilities in both Honduras and the Dominican Republic. https://www.physicianonfire.com/one-world-surgery/
https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/475128573
EIN: 47-5128573 | Deerfiled IL
They score 100% on Charity Navigator.
Cheers!
-PoF
Since I can’t find One World Surgery on CharityWatch (a paid subscription seems to be required to access detailed information on all rated charities), I’ll nominate a backup that receives an A- on CharityWatch & 3 stars on Charity Navigator:
American Red Cross
I vote for this! (One World Surgery)
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Two years ago, my sister suddenly went into labor and subsequently gave birth to her first child on Christmas Day in Mobile, AL. It was 7 weeks before her due date, and she and my brother-in-law were away from home at the time and about an hour from the nearest family’s residence. Her child (my nephew) weighed about 4 lbs and would require a two week stay in the NICU with frequent nursing from my sister. The Ronald McDonald House in Mobile welcomed my sister and brother-in-law with open arms. The staff provided excellent meals and a nice room to stay. My sister never saw a bill the entire two weeks they stayed there. She and my brother-in-law were able to completely focus on caring for my nephew. I checked to see if the Ronald McDonald House of Charities in Mobile had the required score. Unfortunately, Charity Navigator says Not Rated. However, many other city branches have strong ratings. I would appreciate one of the other city branches getting supported if the Mobile branch isn’t eligible per the rules. Thanks!
I vote for this
I nominate City Year Greater Boston.
They put people ages 18-25 in a year of full time community service in the Boston Public Schools to help address the dropout crisis.
As an alum I can say that this was a life changing experience for me, and the organizations impact is felt throughout the city.
https://www.cityyear.org/boston/
I cast a vote for the City Year Greater Boston. The dropout rate in some city schools is alarming.
I vote for City Year
I nominate St. Jude for the amazing work they do with pediatric cancer
I second St. Jude
I third St. Jude
Fourth
The Lacks Foundation ( of HeLa cells)
This is the Foundation for Henrietta Lacks. She is a Black woman that died at the age of 31 from cervical cancer. Her cells were taken without her permission and has been one of the most important single contributions to medicine and health as we know it today.
From polio to HIV to COVID. The immortal cells of Henrietta Lacks. We have had the honor of being in contact with her foundation, members of her family. When asked what we are humans can do as a small way of saying thank you for their impact in medicine, their response was education and health.
This is because despite the part that they have played in healthcare ( many Nobel prices won, hundreds of thousands of published articles, pharmaceutical discoveries) , no financial benefits has been gained by the family members.
We are on a mission to help eradicate the student debt of her descendants. We have made some progress through donations from individuals. We are encouraging others to donate as well.
I highly nominate this foundation.
https://henrietta-lacks-foundation.snwbll.com/let-s-eliminate-student-loan-debt-for-henrietta-lacks-foundation-grantees is the direct link to donate.
Family is also reading the comments and beyond amazed by the kindness of humans.
100% is used by the foundation directly to offset loans for the descendants of Ms Henrietta Lacks.
This year, she was finally acknowledged by the WHO for her contribution to humanity. Additional links for those that want to learn more about her. I was surprised that many physicians hadn’t been aware of her immense contribution.
https://osp.od.nih.gov/scientific-sharing/hela-cells-landing/
https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2021/10/13/default-calendar/henrietta-lacks-recognizing-her-legacy-across-the-world
Thank you for doing this.
Wow, what a great mission. I wish they were rated on charity search/charity watch, because I would totally vote for them. At least I know about them now so I can donate to them myself!
I vote for the Lacks foundation. Donating here myself as well.
Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter
https://www.barcs.org/
Great animal rescue organization in Baltimore!
Tri 4 Schools
https://tri4schools.org
Provides multi-sport events and programs that empower kids, schools, and communities to be healthy and happy. Event registration is donated to support everything from mindfulness to new equipment for physical education classes.
Active kids are healthy kids.
New challenges bring life skills.
Schools are supported.
https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?keyword_list=tri+4+schools&bay=search.results
EIN: 27-4944213 | Classification: Youth Development Programs
Verona, WI
Tri 4 Schools gets my vote. This organization gave my daughter confidence as a young teen – what a gift!
Tri 4 Schools also gets my vote. Kids are the future!!
Thanks Bev! Appreciate your vote of support.
Our children are our future. Today more than ever we should provide outlets, community and empowerment. So many children are struggling. Suicide rates are increasing. We have an obligation to provide healthy activities and support. Tri 4 Schools is a way to make that happen.
I also vote for Tri4Schools. This is a win- keeping kids active, healthy and happy!
I also vote for Tri4Schools. This is a win- keeping kids active, healthy and happy!
I vote for Tri 4 Schools!
Tri for Schools is a great way to get children active and to participate with other children in swimming, biking and running.
I love Tri for Schools in the way they in courage children to be active to lead a healthy lifestyle
I vote for Tri 4 Schools
I also vote Tri 4 Schools
I also vote for this after looking it up. Hope this organization branches out to Montana soon!
As a triathlete, I also vote for this.
Food Outreach (St. Louis)
Since 1989, this organization has been providing nutritional support for low income HIV/AIDS and cancer patients in the metropolitan area. I have personally donated AND volunteered and see the excellent work that they do for their clients.
https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/431492878 (4 stars on charity navigator)
I am voting for Food Outreach. I hope that I did this correctly.
I vote for Food Outreach!
I vote for this
I’m casting my vote for Food Outreach.
I vote for Food Outreach, Inc.
Thank you!
I vote for Food Outreach!
I vote for Food Outreach.
I vote for Food Outreach!
If you guys are really different people you need to find new computers to vote from. All your votes from the same IP address are not going to count. Sorry!
I vote for Food Outreach!
I vote for Food Outreach.
I vote for Food Outreach in St. Louis, MO!
I support Foodoutreach
I vote for Food Outreach and all of the incredible work that they do every day!
I vote for Food Outreach!
I vote for Food Outreach .
I vote for Food Outreach.
I vote for Food Outreach!
I vote for Food Outreach.
I vote for Food Outreach!
I vote for Food Outreach!
I vote for food outreach!
Semper Fi & America’s Fund
Provides immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to combat wounded, critically ill and catastrophically injured members of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families, ensuring they have the resources they need during their recovery and transition back to their communities.
Health Equity International (formerly known as St Boniface Haiti Foundation).
Health Equity International (HEI) supports St Boniface hospital in Haiti, which provides health services to people in southern Haiti regardless of their ability to pay. It has 4 starts from Charity Navigator, and is doing very important work in the aftermath of the tragic earthquake in Haiti this summer. I cannot say enough about this organization, and I think the mission would resonate with many readers of this blog given the health focus. Thank you!
https://healthequityintl.org/
Second vote for this organization.
Prodisee Pantry
Facebook (34) · Community services/non-profits
Website
Directions
9315 Spanish Fort Blvd, Spanish Fort, AL 36527 · ~11.6 mi
(251) 626-1720
Open · Closes 4 PM
Partners In Health (Boston, MA)
Paul Farmer and his team’s unrelenting work to bring modern medicine to those most in need and to be an anti-dote to despair are making this world a better place!
https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/043567502
I vote for this.
I will also vote for this one. Thank you!
I vote for Partners in Health.
I also would like to cast my vote for Partners in Health!
Vote for Partners in Health as well. Highly rated by all the charity organizations, and they do inspiring and committed work. For anyone interested, you should read Mountains beyond Mountains.
I also vote for PIH-took classes from Paul Farmer and group in med school and worked with PIH in residency and med school in Rwanda and Mexico and loved every minute. Fantastic organization and group of people! Also thanks for this great idea, very generous and inspiring-thank you!
Umoja Partnership Inc.
International Relief | EIN: 27-3058428 | Indianapolis IN
https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/273058428
https://umojapartnership.org/
Umoja Partnership provides lunch, empowerment, and secondary school tuition assistance to students in Kenya. The school lunch program started in 2008 after teachers and guardians identified hunger as the primary problem affecting students’ attendance and academic performance. Children who are hungry can’t focus on learning.
Each school day, thousands of children in Umoja primary schools receive a free lunch of maize and beans. Preventing hunger for the students mitigates the principle barrier to focus on their studies, and provides nutritional stability. For some children, the lunch served by our nutrition program is the only meal they will receive all day.
I nominate Khan Academy. Their mission is to provide free education to anyone in the world (with internet access of course!). My kids have benefited greatly from this website.
I vote for this and my kids too have benefited from this
Can’t believe I forgot about Khan Academy! I vote for this wholeheartedly. As a current medical student, I can’t begin to count the number of times I watched a Khan Academy video growing up. They offer high quality free courses/videos in nearly every topic spanning from learning to count to differential equations, calculus and beyond; social studies; economics; government/civics; programming; Biology and Chemistry — the list goes on and on.
They even now have free MCAT prep and practice questions!
Khan Academy has arguably done more to close the achievement gap in education than anyone — offering free videos and courses to anyone in the world with internet access. You’d be hard pressed to find a medical student who did not use Khan Academy at some point in their educational career. Thank you Nancy for nominating them! And thanks to the WCI for doing this!
4/4 stars on Charity Navigator. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/261544963
And here is their website for anyone not familiar with them:
https://www.khanacademy.org
Share it with the people in your life who are at any stage of schooling!
A vote for Khan Academy.
Vote for Khan.
I also vote for Khan Academy. Childhood education is SO important for this country’s future. My grandchildren use it nearly every time they visit us. So I am familiar with the quality of the videos, at least for the younger age groups.
I vote for Khan Academy
I vote for Khan Academy as well.
I would like to nominate the Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina.
I will vote for the Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina. I actually know one of the “graduates” of the home.
Support the Wildlife Conservation Society.
They save wildlife & wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature.
https://www.charitywatch.org/charities/wildlife-conservation-society
I vote for this too! If you are looking for a great charity that supports animals please vote for this! Rated 4/4 stars!
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Food is a basic human need.
– According to the USDA, more than 38 million people, including 12 million children, in the United States are food insecure.
– The pandemic has increased food insecurity among families with children and communities of color, who were already faced hunger at much higher rates before the pandemic.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository is Chicago’s food bank. A healthy community starts with food.
The Food Depository is part of a united community effort working to bring food, dignity and hope to our Cook County neighbors. The hub for a network of more than 700 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other programs. These programs provide food where it’s most needed. They also address the root causes of hunger. Public benefits outreach and job training programs offer support for our neighbors to overcome poverty. As the face of hunger in our community has changed, the Food Depository has evolved. Programs address the specific needs of diverse groups, including children, older adults and veterans.
I nominate NF2 BioSolutions, a 501(c)3 charity that I founded three years ago to find a cure for the rare genetic disorder Neurofibromatosis Type 2 that affects my 10 year old son A.J. Since he was diagnosed 4 years ago I have spent every day fighting for a therapy to help him. We are now 140 volunteers strong and are uniting with other NF2 families and sponsoring research in both gene and cell therapy. NF2 is a cruel and relentless disease, the missing protein is a tumor suppressor so these young kids grow tumors all throughout the nervous system leading to deafness, paralysis and ultimately death.
https://nf2biosolutions.org/
We are recognized as a platinum member by Guidestar and NORD.
I vote for this.
I vote for NF2 BioSolutions!
I vote for NF2BIOSOLUTIONS
I vote for NF2 BioSolutions
I vote NF2 BioSolutions. Our daughter has NF2 and cruel disorder.
I vote for NF2 BioSolutions!
I vote for NF2 BioSolutions!
I vote for NF2 BioSolutions!
Wikipedia Foundation.
Wikipedia is the single most impressive repository of knowledge in human history. It’s entirely free (even ad-free) to the world. An incredibly positive accomplishment for humanity and one that we all use regularly but very few support monetarily. It continually receives four stars from Charity Navigator and gets my vote!
I second this one!
Thirded
I nominate NF2 BioSolutions that is Jumpstarting research for curing NF2 brain and spine tumors
I vote for NF2 Biosolutions. My son has this horrible disorder with large tumor burden. This group is doing amazing promoting research!
I vote for NF2 Biosolutions – they are working so hard and making great progress towards curing NF2
NF2 BioSolutions is funding research that will help save my daughter’s life. She is a typical teenager year old living a great and “normal” life, but with 17 tumors in her brain and spine. This group provides so much hope that gene therapy will get her off death row.
I nominate NF2 BioSolutions. They are doing so much for research into the rare and as yet incurable disorder NF2 which causes brain and spine tumours. Myself and my 10 year old son both suffer with this cruel and debilitating condition which takes our nerve functions one at a time.
I vote for Nf2biosolutions