The holiday season is always the best time to work for a charitable cause. It is also the time when most of the charities will step-up their fundraising efforts. Many charities today use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to pitch their fundraising requests in addition to the numerous phone calls, press releases, and emails. You may also see people standing outside various stores with collection baskets. With over 1 million non-profit organizations, you may be wondering which charities to donate to?

How do you know whether a charity is reliable before donating your money?

Often, it is not easy to evaluate a charity. They often tend to emphasize on a small and interesting element which probably will not completely utilize the money that is donated. A few paid telemarketers who make cold-calls on telephones may volunteer to divulge the fact that most of the charity donations may be usurped by a fundraiser than use it for a good cause. Therefore, to make sure that your hard- earned money is put to a good cause, you will need to seek solid and reliable information before donating it to charities. You can always look up the Forbes List which showcases some of the best charities and can be of great assistance in your research. The list may not include all the charities in the country and may not have the charity you are looking for listed in it. But surely, it does not harm to evaluate the others before handing over your money.

Here’s a list of 10 best charities that you can donate to.

• United Way Worldwide
• Task Force for Global Health
• Feeding America
• Salvation Army
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
• Habitat for Humanity International
• Direct Relief
• YMCA of the USA
• Food for the Poor
• AmeriCares Foundation

In addition to these, if you want to donate your money to charities working towards the betterment of children, here’s a list of 10 best charities kids in the country.

• Newborn’s in Need
• Share our strength
• Kaboom
• SOS Children’s Villages
• Reach Out and Read
• Youth Law Center
• I have a Dream Foundation
• Doctors of the World
• Project Linus
• Parents as Teachers

What are the benefits of donating to charities?

• Makes you happy

According to a study at University of Columbia, Riverside, and University of Missouri- Columbia, people who gave away things to others had a much better feeling of contentment and happiness than those who did not.

• Reduces stress

People who donate to charities are less likely to be stressful. A study done by researchers at the University of Tennessee and Johns Hopkins University revealed that those who gave away things for a charitable cause experienced lower blood pressure and reduced stress rates than those who did not give.

• Improve the morale of your employees

According to research, employees who contributed their time and money to a noble cause are more likely to have better morale than those who do not. In fact, employers who wish to inculcate team-building and improve employee retention should volunteer for charitable causes.

• Gain more satisfaction in life

According to a German study, people who give time and resources to others gain greater satisfaction in life than people who do not. In general, communities of people who donate to charities are happier than communities of people who do not give away generously.

• Improves overall health

People who give away to charities score better in terms of their overall health. Such people show better resilience during physical activity and better blood pressure levels than those who never donate to charities. An article in Consumer Reports reveals that adults who volunteered their time had improved cognitive function, better walking speed, and ability to climb stairs. All these factors show that these factors improve the overall health of adults.

• Reduce tax burden

This is one important aspect that you will be able to get when you donate to charities. You can itemize your tax return and report the amount you contributed to a charity that needs to be deducted from your taxable income. In case you are short of cash, you can always give away unwanted items such as furniture, clothes, etc. You can even donate your car to charity and claim the value of all these goods to be deducted from your taxable income.

Overall, donating to charities will improve your credit in the society and have a good effect on your health and well-being. However, take an informed decision and make sure that your money is put to good use.