11-30-2024 10:25am

Giving Tuesday December 3rd, Give to Charities You Are Familiar With

Chris Edwards Editor

Giving Tuesday is coming up on December 3rd, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It is touted as a "global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world."

Giving Tuesday serves as a reminder to balance our individual needs with the needs of the people and causes that most need our help. But in reality, every day is a good day to turn our thoughts and words into actions by identifying efficient and effective charities to support and making donations. While our giving is often driven by a desire for connection to humanity, a sense a duty to help others by sharing our resources, a feeling of gratitude for our good fortune relative to so many others, or a desire to make a positive impact on the world around us, in order for our donations to accomplish what we most want, we need to be thoughtful and careful about how we give.

Locally and in New Mexico New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) is proud to highlight the vital work of it's Charities team during Charity Fraud Awareness Week, a time when many are inspired to donate to causes nationwide. This holiday season, the NMDOJ supports everyone who seeks to give back and make a difference

They suggest that they strongly encourage individuals to research charities thoroughly before donating to avoid falling victim to fraud.

“This time of year, many New Mexicans are giving thanks and sharing their generosity with charitable organizations that serve our communities. We want to ensure that they are armed with resources to give, and give safely,” said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “Unfortunately, there are organizations that may try to take advantage of our community’s collective generosity, my office has helpful tools and resources to help the public make safe choices when giving.”

The NMDOJ is authorized to monitor and enforce the Charitable Solicitations Act, NMSA 1978 § 57-22. Subsequently, charities are required to register and file annual reports using the New Mexico Charitable Organization Registration Online System (NM-COROS), available at NMDOJ.gov/Charities.

In addition to monitoring and enforcing the act, the NMDOJ also allows all collected data to be available to the public on its website. The NMDOJ website offers a plethora of self-reported information about each registered charity that can be used by the public to vet organizations.

Tips for making informed decisions around charitable giving:

Check to see if the organization is registered and in compliance, and continues to register yearly, with the NMDOJ by visitingNMDOJ.gov/Charities
- To find a charity: scroll to the links at the bottom and click “New Mexico Charity Search”
Check to see where the majority of the organization’s funds are being allocated
Examine the accessible tax documents for additional information, including whether or not the organization is a 501(c)(3) as donations to these specific organizations are tax-deductible
Utilize additional research resources including websites such as GuideStar.org, FTC.gov and IRS.gov.

For more information or to file a complaint please visit NMDOJ.gov/Charities. For additional questions, please email charity.registrar@nmag.gov.