SECRETARY MILES NAMES BEST AND WORST CHARITIES IN S.C. ANNUAL
"SCROOGE" AND "ANGEL" LISTS RELEASED
Secretary of State Jim Miles kicked off the holiday season today with the
announcement of his annual "Scrooge" and "Angel" Lists,
which designate the best and worst charities operating in South Carolina.
"We're proud that South Carolinians are among the most generous donors in
the nation, and we want to make sure that when they donate their hard-earned
dollars, they are giving to a worthy charity," said Miles.
At the press conference held at the State House in Columbia, Secretary Miles
also announced that information regarding charitable organizations is now
accessible on the Secretary of State's Office website, www.scsos.com.
"By going to our website, one can find out whether an organization has
filed with the Secretary of State's Office, the amount of money the charitable
organization has raised, the amount spent on its programs, and the percentage of
the organization's proceeds which actually goes to the cause it espouses. I urge
all South Carolinians to take the time to check out these charities before
making a donation," said Miles.
Approximately 5,000 organizations are registered with the Office of the
Secretary of State to solicit charitable funds from South Carolinians and can be
checked via the website or by phone.
According to Secretary Miles, South Carolinians donated over one and a half
billion dollars to charity last year, ranking 12th in the nation in charitable
giving.
"The annual Scrooge List is based on the charitable organization's failure
to spend a decent percentage of their expenditures on actual programs, their
high use of paid (professional) fundraisers, and their presence in our state.
These organizations are not the only ones that need to tidy up their act, but
these have failed miserably at serving the purpose they profess to serve,"
said Miles.
The 2000 Scrooge List, as it was announced in alphabetical order, is:
 | American Association of the Deaf-Blind |
 | Arthritis Research Institute of America |
 | Cancer Fund of America |
 | Committee For Missing Children, Inc. |
 | Defeat Diabetes Foundation |
 | Missing Kids International |
 | Multiple Sclerosis Association of America |
 | Survivors and Victims Empowered |
 | Tri-County Fire Fighters Association |
 | United Veterans Association |
 |
Alston Wilkes Society (Columbia, South Carolina) |
 |
American Kidney Fund (from Rockville, Maryland) |
 |
Arts, Etc., Inc. (of Rock Hill, South Carolina) |
 |
Greenville News/Piedmont Company Holiday Sunshine Fund |
 |
Harvest Hope Food Bank (of Columbia) |
 |
Hospice of Charleston |
 | Monday After the Masters Pro-Am Golf Tournament (from Columbia) |
 |
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (of Alexandria, Virginia) |
 |
Project Share (of SCANA, Columbia, South Carolina) |
 |
Senior Citizens Association (Florence, South Carolina)
|