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Category: Charities

Philippines typhoon relief: Give wisely!

Philippines typhoon relief: Give wisely!

The widespread  devastation caused by typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines last weekend has left an estimated 600,000 displaced and needing relief now. Many Washingtonians are looking for ways to donate money or goods to help victims. But before you give, the Office of Secretary of State wants to make sure you check out a charity fully before you donate! Unfortunately, there are plenty of unscrupulous people who use tragedy as a chance to scam generous people of their money. If…

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Avoiding storefront solicitor scams

Avoiding storefront solicitor scams

Secretary Wyman is teaming up with Attorney General Bob Ferguson to warn consumers individuals who solicit donations near retail stores on behalf of charities. The solicitors are known to ask for charity donations outside of retail stores, often setting up a table at a store entrance or exit. They ask for small cash, check, debit or credit card donations. In most instances, the solicitors will offer small trinkets for a donation. They state that donations will go toward various charitable…

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SecState & AG warn against Boston charity scams

SecState & AG warn against Boston charity scams

                          Secretary of State Kim Wyman and Attorney General Bob Ferguson, new officeholders whose offices have consumer protection duties, on Tuesday joined forces to warn donors to exercise caution in making donations to charities that purport to help victims of the Boston bombings. In a joint statement, they urged Washington residents not to fall victim to fake fundraisers using the tragedy to scam people into making bogus contributions. …

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Giving wisely…..

Giving wisely…..

Secretary of State Sam Reed and Attorney General Rob McKenna are teaming up to urge Washingtonians to make wise choices with their holiday gifts to charity and avoid greedy fundraising groups. Reed and McKenna joined forces at the Senior Services Lillian Rice Center in downtown Seattle, releasing the 2012 Commercial Fundraiser Activity Report and announcing that the report will be updated weekly “in real time” to keep donors well-informed. The two statewide officials also shared tips for everyone – young…

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Beware of Hurricane Sandy scams

Beware of Hurricane Sandy scams

(Photo courtesy of Red Cross) When Hurricane Sandy left parts of the East Coast in ruins, many thoughtful and generous people did what comes naturally – they gave money to help those in need. Unfortunately, some individuals also did what comes naturally to them – they thought of ways to scam the good souls among us. In fact, many scams have surfaced since the storm struck. If you decide to donate to the Sandy relief effort, please be cautious by…

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Charities help Central Washington fire recovery effort

Charities help Central Washington fire recovery effort

(Photo courtesy of Department of Natural Resources) As the wildfire in Kittitas County become contained, the real effort of recovery now begins. The fire burned through more than 23,000 acres of land and has already caused nearly $8.3 million in property damage. For more information on the areas affected, check out this interactive map provided by KING 5 News. As those displaced by the fires come back to their homes, they are now faced with the daunting task of rebuilding…

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See our video on giving wisely to charities!

See our video on giving wisely to charities!

While it’s generous and thoughtful to give your hard-earned money to charities, it’s important to be wise and informed about giving so you don’t get ripped off. That’s why our Charities Division encourages people to learn more about fundraisers who approach them for donations. It recently created a 10-minute video that features scenarios in which seniors could fall prey to shady fundraising pitches and then discusses what we should do instead.  The video, featuring Charities Manager Rebecca Sherrell as the…

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Spotlight Charity: Consejo Counseling

Spotlight Charity: Consejo Counseling

(Image courtesy of Consejo) In 1978, Consejo Counseling & Referral Service was founded in response to a lack of culturally appropriate behavioral health resources for the low-income Latino community in Western Washington.  Over the course of more than 30 years, Consejo has expanded to include a large variety of services. Consejo’s mission is to provide a continuum of behavioral health, substance abuse and domestic violence services to individuals and families across Washington to improve the quality of their lives and…

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Spotlight Charity: Live United in Whatcom County

Spotlight Charity: Live United in Whatcom County

Photo courtesy of United Way of Whatcom County If you know anything about charities you have probably heard of United Way. Over the course of the 20th century this charitable organization has become deeply rooted in communities across Washington and the United States. Because United Way recognizes that local problems need local solutions, each branch independently develops programs that best suit the needs of the communities they serve. Every United Way throughout Washington goes above and beyond to support our…

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Check out our Charities app

Check out our Charities app

If you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch and want to look up charities-related information, you’re in luck. There’s an app that you can use to check out registered charitable organizations and commercial fundraisers in Washington. The info is provided by our Charities Division. Go here to learn more or to download the app. We also have apps for Corporations, the State Library’s Ask-WA program and state elections results.