Happy Mother's Day!

The Problem: Learning how to breastfeed

Who: La Leche International

Why are they special? Provides information and encouragement, usually individually--mother to mother. In 68 countries.

Where: Schaumburg, Illinois

Started: 1956

What the top person makes: $66,621 (2010)

General site: Home page

La Leche, ask yourself--can someone popping onto your web site find out quickly and easily precisely what you do? Or how "worldwide" you operate? We couldn't. Or maybe you could just provide a link to the Wikipedia article about you.

Charity Navigator's report. Charity Navigator warns you must affirmatively opt out of receiving emails from this charity once they have your address.

Link to help: Donations

Deductible? Yes


Image courtesy of Clare Bloomfield

Cancer Camping

The Problem: Children with cancer and other life threatening diseases

Who: Hole in the Wall Gang Fund

Why are they special? Founded by the late Paul Newman (how's that for special?) Provides a camp for these children and year-round support for their families.

AE Hotchner's book Paul and Me (2010) describes the conception and growth of the camp.

Where: New Haven, CT

Started: 1985

What the top person makes: $165,305 (2009)

General site: Home page

Charity Navigator's report

Link to help: Donations

Deductible? Yes

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

The Problem: Preserving and exhibiting Latino art

Who: National Museum of Mexican Art

Why are they special? Claims to be the only Latino museum accredited by the American Association of Museums. 15 of the exhibits have traveled to other museums in the US and Mexico. Also runs a radio station.

Where: Chicago

Started: 1982

What the top person makes: $162,500 (2009)

General site: Home page

Charity Navigator's report

Link to help: Donations

Deductible? Presumably but does not state

Gorgeous lakes and trees

The Problem: Protecting the 6 million acres Adirondack Park in New York

Who: Adirondack Council

Why are they special? Works to protect and restore this vast park. Said to be the largest park in the contiguous United States.

Might be perceived as aggressive--they supported the statewide ban on lead sinkers which reportedly poison the common loon.

Sadly, you can't find out much about the park on the Council's web site.

And, guys, how about some pictures??? Plus an editor. Your home page says you're for working farms--your about us page says you want to prevent them.

Where: Elizabethtown, New York

Started: 1975

What the top person makes: $152,488 (2010)

General site: Home page

Charity Navigator's report

Link to help: Donations

Deductible? Unknown

Affordable theater???

The Problem: Theater for people who can't afford the tickets

Who: Lincoln Center Theater

Why are they special? They give " thousands of free tickets each year to culturally under-served populations throughout the five boroughs" of New York City. Reportedly is the city's only Broadway-class theater outside of the theater district.

Where: New York City

Started: 1985

What the top person makes: $495,893 (2009)

General site: Home page

Charity Navigator's report

Link to help: Donations

Deductible? Presumably but page does not state

The children of Chernobyl

The Problem: Children affected by the radiation of the Chernobyl disaster

Who: Chabad's Children of Chernobyl

Why are they special? Has evacuated 93 planeloads of children to permanent residence in Israel. Provides medicine, equipment and training to assist local Chernobyl area physicians in dealing with radiation-induced illnesses

Where: New York City

Started: 1990

What the top person makes: Not stated

General site: Home page

Charity Navigator's report

Link to help: Donations

Deductible? Presumably but page does not state

How can I tell what a charity does with my money?

The Problem: Who polices the charities?

Who: Charity Navigator

Why are they special? Reports on the finances of individual charities. Prospective donors can look up more than 5,500 organizations on their web site. They plan to move beyond finances to evaluate a charity's effectiveness and results later in 2011.

Where: Glen Rock, NJ

Started: 2002

General site: Home page

Charity Navigator doesn't evaluate itself. Click here for their unconvincing explanation of why not.

Link to help: Donations

Deductible? Presumably but page does not state