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SHARING YOUR MONEY WITH OTHERS

You already know three things that you can do with your money - spend it, save it or invest it. But you also have another choice: You can give it to groups that help other people, animals or the environment.

When you give money to charities, you can help make the world a better place for yourself and others. Gifts like these are quite popular among kids like you. In a survey conducted in 2000, six out of 10 students in grades six through 11 said they make their own charitable donations.1Most popular are gifts to religious groups, health-related charities, groups that help the homeless, organizations that help animals and groups that provide relief during disasters.

Where to begin
If you're interested in charitable giving, you can start by finding a charity that's involved in something you care about. It might be a group that helps kids who are sick or one that works to protect whales. After making a list of causes that are important to you, pick one that you feel most strongly about. You can then look for charities that work in this area. Many kids like to help local charitable groups. To find one near you, check into organizations that do fundraising at your school. You can also find out about local charities from your library, town government or local newspaper.

You can also search for charities online. By visiting their websites, you can learn a lot about what the groups do and how you can help them. You can search for information about U.S. charitable organizations at Guidestar.com (www.guidestar.com ).

Giving smart
Finding the right charity may take some detective work. You want to make sure a charity really does what it says it will and that most of the money you give goes directly to the cause you want to help.

Here are three key steps to smart giving:

Step #1: Investigate
With the help of your parents, contact charities that interest you and ask for information about what they do. Never give money to a charity that you don't know anything about. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance (www.give.org ) offers information on a wide range of charities. You might also check out the Internet Nonprofit Center (www.nonprofits.org ).

Step #2: Evaluate
From the information you receive, find out exactly what the charity will do with your donation and how much of your gift will actually support that work. While some of the money you give will help pay the group's administrative and fundraising expenses, make sure that most goes to the cause itself.

Step #3: Donate
Find out the best way to make your gift. Although some local charities accept cash, national organizations usually prefer payments by check or credit card. If that's the case, you might give cash to your parents, who could then write a check to the charity in your name.

Planning your gift
There are many ways to raise money for a charity. For example, you could set aside part of your allowance or money that you earn - say five or 10 percent. Or, you could collect bottles and cans, turn them in for money and then send that money to your favorite charity. You could also hold a bake sale or car wash that raises money for a special cause. You might consider other kinds of donations, too. These could include old toys, games or clothes you no longer use. Gifts of your time as a volunteer may also be appreciated.


 

1The survey was conducted by the Yankelovich Partners on behalf of the Lutheran Brotherhood in May 2000 and the results were announced December 4, 2000. (press release, Lutheran Brotherhood).



 
 
Please consider the objectives, risks, charges and expenses of any Columbia fund carefully before investing. Contact your financial advisor for a prospectus, which contains this and other important information about the fund. You should read it carefully before investing.