Michael Simms: Charities I Recommend

There are thousands of worthwhile charities in the United States, so sometimes it’s difficult to choose only one or two to support. Listed below are links to five national charities which received an A+ rank from Charity Watch. Each of them spend 90% or more of their budgets on programs, spend $5 or less to raise $100 in public support, do not hold excessive assets in reserve, have met CharityWatch’s governance benchmarks, and receive “open-book” status for disclosure of basic financial information and documents to CharityWatch. 

All Hands and Hearts provides community-inspired, volunteer-powered disaster relief.

Conservation Fund works with partners to protect America’s land and water resources through land acquisition and sustainable community and economic development, emphasizing the integration of economic and environmental goals.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund  aims through scholarships and student/family services to provide students all the tools they need to get a college degree and succeed in life.

World Central Kitchen uses the power of food to nourish communities and strengthen economies in times of crisis and beyond.

World Resources Institute creates change that improves people’s lives and ensures the natural world can thrive.

Instead of donating to national charities, you may prefer to support charities closer to home. In my city, for example, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank does excellent work distributing food to indigent families. 

Casa San José provides vital support for Latinos in Pittsburgh, including maintaining a Rapid Response Network of volunteers to document ICE operations.

The Waldorf School of Pittsburgh, which my wife Eva and I co-founded and built thirty years ago with other families, educates children from pre-school to eighth grade with an emphasis on nature and imagination. 

And finally, Autumn House Press, which I founded in 1998 and built for 18 years, is now led brilliantly by Christine Stroud. AHP consistently publishes some of the best poetry and prose books in the United States.

In the comments section below, please feel free to list charities which you believe deserve widespread support.

~~~