What are the best Charities to give to?

SPLC

World Food Kitchen. https://joseandres.com/

*World Central Kitchen* 
"WCK is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. We build resilient food systems with locally led solutions."
They are truly good. https://wck.org

Agree about SEVA

Burrito Brigade makes and distributes free food to people in need (in Oregon) without a top-heavy structure. There must be others in other places.

Planned Parenthood

Doctors Without Borders

Slickrock, we are together. Jose Andres, who started World Central Kitchen, is among the most amazing people on earth. He is a clear, empathetic thinker.

Agree with Chef Andres

I've always been a fan of Habitat for Humanity and Americares (though the latter pays the top brass a lot, it's administrative costs is just 3%)

Our $$$ goes to -

Saint Vincent De Paul

Acts 4 Ministry

^ these 2 do it all locally for the most hurting, supplying food clothes and shelter. 

The Red Cross - I don't care wtf anyone says about them,  whenever a tragedy hits here locally they are on it. My buddy's house burnt down a few years ago. They helped in so many ways to ease the hurt and get him back to normal. 

Wounded Warriors for obvious reasons.

Saint Jude

Seva

Seva

Seva

St. Jude

local food shelters/charities

I'm a fan of local non-profits rather than state-wide or national. Pick a cause that matters to you and find something local. They are usually on the ground doing direct service, in more need of funds than the large nationals, and are much more transparent.

The 90% threshold is really high; anything that's in the 85% to programs is really good. Think 85% to programs, 9% administration, 6% fundraising, or something like that. For most direct service non-profits, the bulk of the budget should be salaries and benefits. You can find that info in annual reports, usually on their website. You can also call and talk to their Development people and ask the questions you want. That's the beauty of local charities.

I give to my local food shelf (rather than state), local teen and family homeless shelters, and stuff like that. I know the work that they do because I can see it first hand. I also know their needs.

A good place to start your research is www.charitynavigator.com. You can also search their 990's online. Here's SEVA's 2020 990: https://www.seva.org/site/DocServer/Seva_990_6-30-2021.pdf

They had $38,000,000+ in assets and brought in around $7 million. They gave out $3.66 million (page 32), with $166k going to North America.

My question to SEVA is, if you brought in $7 million and haver $38 million in reserves, why are you giving out only 10% (by law they have to give 5% a year)? Although they gety a great rating on Charity Navigator, I would rather give my $ to a local organization that purchases eye care for local kids/families.

i am totally down with Jose

I donate a notable sum of my annual income to see wealthy rock stars perform and assume a portion of the proceeds trickle down to their personal and estate staffs. 

>>Saint Vincent De Paul

These are all locally run and they look to Catholic Church attendees to fill leadership positions. Which means just because they are run well in one place does not mean they are run well in your city. That said the one in SF runs the biggest homeless shelter in SF and a large domestic violence safe house among some other things. They used to also run a drug and alcohol detox center for the unhoused and that place was well within the circles of hell. Nothing but respect for the people that worked there, but they couldn't keep it open. 

Episcopal Sanctuary in SF is also good as is Martin de Porres House of Hospitality. 

I donate to SEVA when I can

https://archive.org/donate/

https://www.rexfoundation.org/donate