Both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month occur in October every year. To understand these issues, remember the number three: every three minutes, there is a new diagnosis of breast cancer in the U.S., and around the world, one woman in three is the victim of abuse.
Many caring companies raise funds in October and year-round, to help change these statistics but wise consumers want to be sure their money is being used appropriately, so follow these simple guidelines:
• If you purchase a fundraising product, be sure you know how much of the price is donated to the cause. Credible fundraisers disclose this information and Better Business Bureau guidelines state the donation amount must be available to consumers. For example, the new Avon Breast Cancer Crusade Charm Bracelet is priced at $5.00, and $4.00 is donated to breast cancer research and access to care, while the company's Speak Out Against Domestic Violence Candle is $6.50, with $4.42 donated to domestic violence education and prevention programs. In Avon's case, all proceeds above the cost of the items are donated-the company makes no profit.
• It costs money to raise money, but if you take part in fundraising events, whether produced locally or by a national organization, check to see if it meets or exceeds Better Business Bureau guidelines of at least 65 percent donated to the cause. The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series is a project of the Avon Foundation, which returns about 77 percent to the causes it supports.
• If you support fundraising programs, it is important to know who ultimately receives the money. This should be available on a Web site, in literature or by contacting the fundraiser.
For example, visit www.avonfoundation.org for a list of the hundreds of Avon Foundation grant recipients, ranging from major national research institutions to local grassroots organizations in all 50 states.
For more information on Better Business Bureau charity guidelines, visit www.give.org. For information on the Foundation, visit www.avonfoundation.org and to purchase fundraising products all year long, contact an Avon Sales Representative or visit the Web site.
The Avon Crusade Charm Bracelet returns $4.00 of the $5.00 price to the breast cancer cause. |
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