The Foraker Group

Posted Under: Philanthropy

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Our hearts and minds are with the families and friends in Buffalo, Santa Ana, Uvalde, and the too many other places where people are grieving as a result of gun violence. In the wake of each tragedy, our collective grief often drives us to take beautiful action. We encourage you to use your voice, your vote, and your charitable action today and every day to stand for what you believe in.

Unfortunately, national tragedies are also a time when donation sites pop up that are not verifiable, not charitable, and provide no guarantee that the intended audience will benefit from your generosity.

We strongly encourage you to do your homework before you donate. Consider these tips:

• Check out GuideStar (www.guidestar.com) to make sure the recipient of your donation is a registered nonprofit.
• Go to their website to make a gift directly.
• Check out the local community foundation in each of the affected communities to see if an emergency fund has been created.
• Ask your friends and colleagues in impacted communities about the best places to do the most good.

These few steps will mean that your money will honor your intent and help us collectively take positive steps forward.