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South Carolinians warned to be careful when making holiday donations

South Carolinians warned to be careful when making holiday donations

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) – The season of giving is now upon us, and many South Carolinians will be opening their wallets and checkbooks next month to support causes they care about.

So how do you know if charities are making the most of donations?

South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond wants people to be wary of charities that could benefit from this kindness.

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“There are some organizations that send very little money for charitable purposes, and the majority of their income from donations is consumed by professional fundraisers,” he said.

He recommends doing your research before opening your wallet.

You can look up organizations in the state department’s public database to find out how their donations are spent.

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  1. Each year, the South Carolina Secretary of State recognizes 10 charities as “angels” that comply with state laws and spend at least 80% of their income on charitable causes. Here is this year’s list:
  2. cliffs Residents Social Assistance Inc.Traveler Rest, 93.2%
  3. natural environment Horry County In the name of Humanity, Myrtle Beach, 83.7%
  4. Guard‘ These Real MinistriesColombia, 95.4%
  5. Lauren’s District SAFE Home PageLaurens, 81.2%
  6. Mary Sunny HouseCenter, 82.6%
  7. neighbors Together Inc.North Charleston, 83.3%
  8. PlaySafeAnderson, 82.2%
  9. P.S. I Love You MinistriesSpartanburg, 94.3%
  10. Sea Turtle Patrol Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, 95.9%
  11. Mary Ann Morris Animal Society, Bamberg, 99.3%

“We want to do everything we can to educate our charitable donor,” Hammond said.

This information is also available through the free “Give Smart SC” app.

“It will tell you whether the charity is registered or not. “We are doing everything we can to find charities that are not registered and bring them into compliance,” Hammond said.

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People can call or email the State Department’s Public Charities Division to learn more about an organization before donating.

If you have concerns about a charity you can make a confidential complaint online to the Secretary of State.

“Last year we received over 750 complaints, 150 of which were online, and the revenue we collect from fines against nonprofits is up 50%, so the public is our eyes and ears out there,” Hammond said.

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And he has one final piece of advice for South Carolinians in the spirit of giving.

“We want everyone to give wholeheartedly, but we want them to give wisely,” he said.