“Angels and Scrooges” help donors be smart as they give from the heart

As the holiday season approaches marking the time of giving and goodwill to others, Secretary of State Mark Hammond honored 11 nonprofit organizations on Tuesday that exemplify charitable giving in South Carolina.

For the past 17 years, the Secretary of State office has recognized “Angels and Scrooges.” Angels” designate most of their proceeds to the charitable cause they represent; “Scrooges” keep most of the money for administrative costs.

Angels are selected by review of financial reports and nominations from the public.

Scrooge charities are considered organizations that give 45 percent or less toward their charitable cause.

“We want to educate the donor here in South Carolina because we want them to do some research and before they give their hard-earned money to organizations,” said Hammond.

One Scrooge organization recognized was Outreach Calling. The organization was known for soliciting $20 donations and using only $2 of that donation for charitable purposes. 

Although there are some bad charities, the Secretary of State decided to give more recognition to the good charities in South Carolina. 

Joe Huggins, executive director of Homes Works of America, said he tries to stretch every dollar to help those in need. 

Home Works of America was recognized in 2004 by “Angels and Scrooges” and received an honorable Angel recognition for its continuous charitable operations this year. The organization provides free home repairs for the elderly, disabled and veterans with the help of student volunteers to assist in the work.

“It’s an honor to our organization to know that folks recognize our integrity with charitable dollars. We know that every dollar we spend is given freely, so we want to be good stewards of that,” said Huggins.

Each year the goal is to showcase Angels with diverse missions from various areas around the state of South Carolina.

The goal of Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services is to enrich and empower children and adults with physical disabilities by providing educational and recreational services. 

“We feel like it honors all the hard work that our volunteers and our small, but mighty staff put in over the last 12 years,” said Executive Director Jennifer Rogers. 

John Bush, executive director of Helping Hands of Georgetown was recognized for his organization, which aids residents of Georgetown County who are experiencing crisis or live in poverty .

“To know that there are so many great organizations out there, I don’t think we’re special, but blessed,” said Bush. “It just makes me proud to be a part of Helping Hands.” 

Hammond suggests before giving to any charity, always check the Secretary of State’s website to see if a charity is registered. Ask questions to the charity you would like to donate to about how much of the donation will be used for program services. If any concerns arise, notify the Secretary of State’s office and file a confidential complaint form.