John Willoughby:
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Christmas can be tough on anyone who is trying to stretch a thin budget … but those who are spending Christmas in a hospital are desperately waiting for their miracle. Charities around the globe have donated timeless and priceless gifts to those, young and old, who have spent Christmas in a hospital bed waiting to hear those magical words, "You are cured. You can go home now."
Without the help of those who have donated their time and money to research, patient care, hospital support and other branches that contribute to the relief of the distressed, the cure of millions would not have been possible and research on certain diseases and illnesses would have ceased.
It is understandable that those who donate want their money to go to good use. With the mission of making impactful philanthropy easier for all, Charity Navigator was founded in 2001 and has become the most-utilized evaluator of charities nationwide. Providing information on over 9,000 charities, Charity Navigator scopes out the financial health, accountability and transparency of each charity, helping donors choose the right cause to support.
Charity Navigator breaks down health-related charitable organizations into four categories. The highest-ranking charitable organization of each category is listed to give the donor an idea of what, and who, to donate too.
Disease, disorders and disciplines
The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, of New York, N.Y., was founded in 1995 to attack the scourge of Alzheimer's disease through a three-pronged assault, focused on finding a cure for this devastating disease, understanding the causes of the disease and improving the care of people living with Alzheimer's to enhance their quality of life, according to alzinfo.org. The Fisher Center is a four-star charity on Charity Navigator and has received the 2018 Gold Seal of Transparency. For more information, log onto alzinfo.org or call 1 (800) ALZ-INFO (259-4636).
Patient and family support
Camp John Marc, who began their inaugural camping season in 1991, has welcomed over 3,000 children, teens and family members per year. According to campjohnmarc.org, a passionate and concerned donor assembled child life specialists, doctors, social workers, camping professionals and community members in 1984 and 1985 to determine the value that camping adds to the lives of children living with health challenges. Early gifts that shaped the dream of John Marc Myers included $500,000 from the Meadows Foundation, $100,000 from the Junior League of Dallas, Texas and $150,000 from the Pauline Allen Gill Foundation. Camp John Marc is a four-star Charity of Charity Navigator and is a silver participant with GuideStar Exchange. For more information, log onto campjohnmarc.org or call (214) 360-0056.
Treatment and prevention services
Community Volunteers in Medicine was founded in 1998 and has been the center providing healthcare, hope and healing to uninsured working adults and their children to reduce costly emergency room visits and hospital admissions, according to cvim.org. In 2017, more than 41,416 patient visits were covered through Community Volunteers in Medicine. According to their website, primary medical care, comprehensive dental services and free prescription medicines are provided to uninsured individuals and families earning less than 300 percent of their poverty level. Community Volunteers in Medicine is a four-star charity of Charity Navigator and is a proud partner of AmeriCares. For more information, log onto cvim.org or call (610) 836-5990.
Medical research
The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, based out of Tampa, Fla., is a non-profit organization dedicated to funding research to eliminate childhood cancer, according to nationalpcf.org. Founded in 1991, millions of dollars has been donated to research in effort to fight childhood cancer with those who are plagued to help doctors and teams of researchers develop less toxic, more targeted treatments designed specifically for kids. The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a four-star charity of Charity Navigation and is a Better Business Bureau accredited charity. Additionally, the Foundation is a gold participant of GuideStar Exchange. For more information, log onto nationalpcf.org or call (813) 269-0955.