South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond released 2017’s list of Scrooges and Angels.
The Angels honored represent organizations that exemplify charitable giving in South Carolina. The programs listed below are honored for ensuring that the vast majority of the donations they receive are returned directly into the program, supporting communities, the underprivileged, animals, the hungry, and more.
Those recognized are listed in alphabetical order, and are not ranked by the Secretary of State.ANGELS
- Chapin We Care Center, Chapin, SC 93.4%
- Christmas Is For Kids, Gaffney, SC 99.7%
- Friends of the Animal Shelter, Inc., Aiken, SC 83.9%
- Golden Corner Food Pantry, Seneca, SC 91.3%
- Help 4 Kids Florence, Florence, SC 97.4%
- JumpStart South Carolina, Spartanburg, SC 91.0%
- Meals on Wheels of Horry County, Inc., Surfside Beach, SC 97.7%
- Operation Sight, Mount Pleasant, SC 87.5%
- Project Hope Foundation, Inc., Greenville, SC 95.4%
- Samaritan’s Purse, Boone, NC 87.8%
- The Volunteers in Medicine Clinic, Hilton Head Island, SC 93.4%
The Angels were selected by review of financial reports submitted annually to the Secretary of State’s Office, as well as by nominations from the public. To be selected as an Angel, the charity must have devoted 80 percent or more of its total expenditures to charitable programs; the charity must have been in existence for three or more years; the charity must make good use of volunteer services; the charity must receive minimal funding from grants; and the charity must be in compliance with the South Carolina Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act. Each year the Secretary of State’s Office attempts to showcase Angels with diverse missions, from across South Carolina and outside the state.
As with last year, Secretary Hammond included both charities and professional fundraisers in the list of Scrooges. The designation of Scrooge is based upon a charitable organization’s failure to spend a high percentage of its total money on charitable programs, or a professional fundraiser’s failure to remit a significant amount of its gross receipts to the charity for which it solicits.
The charitable organizations and professional fundraisers recognized are listed in alphabetical order, and are not ranked by the Secretary of State.SCROOGES
Charitable Organizations
- American Association of State Troopers, Inc., Tallahassee, FL 15.5%
- American Veterans Foundation, Sarasota, FL 8.3%
- Childhood Leukemia Foundation, Inc., Brick, NJ 19.6%
- Firefighters Support Foundation Inc., Greenfield, MA 6.8%
- Honor Bound Foundation, Inc., Darien, CT 29.7%
- Melanoma International Foundation, Glenmoore, PA 33.9%
- Project Cure, Inc., Bradenton, FL 24.6%
- United Cancer Support Foundation, Knoxville, TN 3.7%
Professional Fundraisers
Hal. E. Erwin, Bingo Promoter d/b/a Paradise Amusements, LLC, Chapin, SC 3.2%
Truck, Trailer & Equipment Sales, Inc., Summerville, SC 6.1%
“The Secretary of State’s Office is responsible for enforcing the Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act, and has recognized Scrooges and Angels for the past 22 years,” said Secretary Hammond. “As the holidays approach, people are reminded to open their hearts and help those in need. Recognizing Scrooges and Angels not only promotes accountability and transparency to charitable donors, but also acknowledges and extends gratitude to the charities that uplift our communities. I encourage all South Carolinians to continue to give generously, but to always research charities and professional fundraisers before they give.”
Charitable donors may research organizations registered in South Carolina by visiting the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.sc.gov. To review an organization, select the Charity Search button to learn a charity’s total revenue, program expenses, total expenses, net assets, and fundraiser costs. The website even calculates the percentage of total expenses that the charity has devoted to its program services. You can also call our Division of Public Charities at 1-888-CHARITI (242-7484) for more information.
