What You Need To Know About Police Charity Donations
Think Those Charity Donations Are Helping Your Police Department?
You get a call from a fund raising group that is to raise money for your local police department. It's a noble cause, right? These are the men and women who risk their lives to keep our neighborhoods safe. Why not donate to the cause? Before you give in to this type of charity donations request, there are some things you need to know.
It's Not The Police Department
Oftentimes the people making these calls have nothing to do with your local police department. They solicit charity donations and while a portion of the money they get does indeed get funneled to law enforcement of some form or another, most of it is spent on other things.
The Real Math
Now, you may be thinking that as long as some of the money is going to a good cause, that's all that matters. However, in many cases the police departments see less than 20 percent of the amount you donate. Sometimes it's even less than 10 percent. Basically, you could make a $2,000 donation and the police might only receive $200 of it. That's not a pretty picture.
What To Do
Before you make any charity donations, find out exactly where those funds go and how they are used. How much actually get put to good use and how much goes towards "operating" costs? You could also contact your local police department and tell them you would like to contribute. They will be able to tell you what to do and who to talk to.
For more information on this type of charity scam and others you need to avoid, see the ScamBusters.org article on Four Charity Scams to Avoid.