Christians, Before You Give to a Charity, Beware

Tweet

There are so many charities out there so we must be careful to whom we give because most are fleecing their donors.

A$PCA Cruelty to Donors

There are so many charities out there to give to, so who do actually donate to? We must be careful to whom we give because there are many who are fleecing their donors and then even selling your information (through donor’s lists that are sold). Think ASPCA is a good cause for neglected animals? Think again! CBS news reported (August 2, 2021) that the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) tripled their income, going from $85 million in 2007 to nearly $280 million in 2019. This makes ASPCA one of the nation’s leading animal welfare charities, but how much of your donation goes to actual animal care and rescue? Only about 7% of the total money raised goes to local animal welfare groups. During that same time period it spent nearly three times that amount (at least $421 million) on fundraising. For example, over $150 million of that went to a Canadian media production company to produce and place ASPCA’s ads and not for neglected or abused animals. [1]

Charities CEO Salaries

According to information from the organization’s 2019 tax forms, $7.75 of each $19 donation given to ASPCA went toward hands-on help with animals across the country, and $6.88 went toward public education, communication, policy, response and engagement. In 2019, the ASPCA’s CEO Matt Bershadker made more than $840,000. That’s more than the CEO’s of Feeding America and the American Red Cross, charities that have a budget 10 times the size of the ASPCA. Between 2009 and 2019, the ASPCA made more than $3.2 million from donations? No, this money came from selling donor lists (including yours if you gave to ASPCA. They employ over 1,000 employees but Charity Watch finds that as much as 49% of the ASPCA’s spending is overhead (instead for programs for animals). This calculation is based on the ASPCA’s most recent tax return, covering 2021. ASPCA CEO Matt Bershadker made $990,000 in compensation while more than 250 ASPCA employees made over $100,000 in compensation. [2] In my opinion, they are no friend of dogs or cats or donors…but very much a fan of salaries for their 1,000 plus employees.

Red Cross Double Cross

The Salvation Army is about the best charity to give in regard to actual helping people and the dollars they receive going to basic human needs. What about the Red Cross? The President and CEO, Gail McGovern, has compensation in total (including salary) of $1,313.605! [3] While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $154,500 and as low as $30,000, the majority of Red Cross Coe’s salaries currently range between $54,500 (25th percentile) to $100,000. [4] Now compare that to Salvation Army (which I love and support), 75% stays in the area and of cash donations, 25% goes to the countries headquarters. Considering what a Salvation Army minister makes, they live a 1/2 step above poverty. They are very budget minded on cost. [5]

According to the most recent financial data, 73 cents of every dollar goes directly to research, prevention, detection, education, and patient support. The rest – about 27 cents – fuels supporting services for our lifesaving work to manage and fund those programs, so 3/4ths of your donations never make it to helping real people (except staff). [6] The CEO salaries of non-profits are higher than most large corporations. Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association makes well over $4,388,845 million dollars annually while Ellen Raney, M.D. of Shriners Hospitals makes an astounding $3,366,552. [7]

God’s Way of Giving

For Christians who donate or give of their money, time, and effort, 100% goes to needs-based. Millions of believers give to those who are hurting (Matt 25:35-36). Jesus gives the best advice on giving in Luke 6:38 where He says, “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Giving back to God makes sense because “whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him” (Matt 13:12). And who has given more than Jesus Christ! He says, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28). No one has ever given more than God and His Son, His very own life…so don’t grow disheartened by dishonest charities…there are good ones, but check to see if your dollars are really going to help someone or to help some rich charity CEO get even richer.

Do Some Research

I hope you will check with Charity Navigators or Charity Watch before you give to charity…because you may be giving to someone who already has a salary well into the millions of dollars. Want to give? Try your local church, Salvation Army or a homeless shelter and remember Jesus’ words, “whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward” (Mark 9:41).

Conclusion

I pray you have put your trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If that has not happened yet, my friend, you are in real danger of hell fire. And I mean, in immediate danger. You’re one breath, one heartbeat…one accident away from eternity when it will be too late to repent. Today is the best day to believe (2 Cor 6:2) since tomorrow is no guarantee. If Jesus Christ came today, here is your fate (Matt 7:21-23). This is why I plead with you as you read this, repent today…and I mean right now. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you do not, you will face God’s judgment after death guaranteed (Heb 9:27) or at Jesus Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), which could happen at any moment.

Here is some related reading for you: A Foundation for Biblical Giving

Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

1. ASPCA spending may not be what donors expect, CBS News investigation finds. Aug 2, 2021. (Accessed, Aug 8, 2025). https://www.cbsnews.com/news/aspca-spending-donor-cbs-news-investigation/

2. Humane Watch.org. ASPCA Charity Rating Downgraded. March 30, 2023. (Accessed Aug 20, 2025). https://humanewatch.org/aspca-charity-rating-downgraded/

3. Nonprofit Compensation Packages of $1 Million or More. (Accessed Aug 20, 2025). https://www.charitywatch.org/nonprofit-compensation-packages-of-1-million-or-more

4. Red Cross Salaries. Zip Recruiter. (Accessed Aug 20, 2025). https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Red-Cross-Ceo-Salary

5. What percentage of donations to The Salvation Army is used for helping those in need versus administrative costs and salaries? (Accessed Aug 20, 2025). https://www.quora.com/What-percentage-of-donations-to-The-Salvation-Army-is-used-for-helping-those-in-need-versus-administrative-costs-and-salaries

6. American Cancer Society Events (Accessed Aug 20, 2025). https://secure.acsevents.org/site/DocServer/ACS_FAQs.pdf?docID=414654

7. $1 Million Charity Compensation Packages: 2024 Update. April 25, 2024 (Accessed, Aug 20, 2025). https://blog.charitywatch.org/1-million-charity-compensation-packages-2024-update/

Tagged as: Charities, charity, Donations, giving, Non-Profits