Hey, this is a really big deal. How often do you give to charities when you believe in their cause? You may think that the org is doing really good work, but I am actively involved with the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR), and unfortunately that's not what's always happening.

Hundreds of charities claim to help those in need. But of the millions of dollars raised each year, how much goes to cancer patients, disabled vets, and dying children? For some charities, almost nothing goes toward direct aid. CIR and the Tampa Bay Times worked to create a list of the 50 worst charities in America.

It's important to be aware that you're not giving your hard earned money to bad actors.

The nation’s 50 worst charities have paid their solicitors nearly $1 billion over the past 10 years that could have gone to charitable works.

Some of the findings that CIR released include that:

• The 50 worst charities in America devote less than 4% of donations raised to direct cash aid.
• Some charities give even less than 4% to direct cash aid.
• Over a decade, one diabetes charity raised nearly $14 million and gave about $10,000 to patients.
• Six orgs spent nothing at all on direct cash aid.

There are a lot of charities out there who really have their boots on the ground doing good work and spending their donations wisely, but you need to make sure to do your research before you give. Bad actors are out there to take your money, and the cause you were donating to may never see the actual money.

The Center for Investigative Reporting shares a CNN report that will air tomorrow, 6/13, at 8pm EDT. They'll show you what happens when a reporter tries to confront the executives of some of the charities on the list above. And you'll find out how one charity network spent nearly 70% of the millions they raised on fundraisers.

This is a really big deal, and very important. Don't get fooled by bad charities. Here are some tips that CIR gives for making sure that your money is actually going to a worthy cause: http://cironline.org/reports/dont-get-fooled-bad-charities-4631 There are many resources to make sure that you choose a good charity to give to, orgs who are the real deal.

Please help me spread the word by sharing this across your social platforms, and help to stop these bad actors.

The Challenge was: "Raise the Most between May 28th and June 3 at 12:00pm EST and you'll win $5000 for your charity."

Leave No Veteran Behind  (LNVB) has accomplished a lot in the four years they've been around. Here's a brief summary of what they've done:

• Paid off the student loans of 7 Veterans totaling just under $100k
• Directly employed over 150 Vets in transitional work with Chicago Public Schools
• Paid out over $1.2 million dollars in transitional wages to Vets and their families
• Trained over 250 Veterans in employment skills to include:
  • security
  • private investigation
  • bookkeeping
  • administrative support
  • information technology
  • executive management skills
• Decreased youth violence on the Southside of the City of Chicago, according to public school behavior records, police department crime rates, and qualitative data aggregated by the University of Chicago's Consortium on School Research
• Currently, LNVB serves over 7,000 Chicago school children on a daily basis with safety and mentorship services
• LNVB places Veterans in long-term employment scenarios
• LNVB has partnered with West Point Military Academy to deliver STEM training to over 100 youth in Chicago
• LNVB has advocated for the State of Illinois' Veteran Earned Income Tax Credit to help decrease statewide Veteran unemployment rates
• 82% of every dollar goes to direct program support

I'm honored to be able to give money to this nonprofit. I just figure that if someone's willing to risk their life for me, I should give back, and this is the least that I can do. A nerd's gotta do what a nerd's gotta do.

Make sure to check out the Veterans Charity Challenge to find out which Bonus Challenges are coming up next, and if you're on Twitter, you can follow the conversation using #VetsChallenge.

Hey there folks,

I'd like your help, if you're able, to raise money for nonprofits who work with veterans and military families. The Veterans Charity Challenge just launched today, and we'd love for you to be a part of it.

As Memorial Day nears, I've teamed up with CrowdRise and the Rahr Foundation to give $100k to organizations who really have their boots on the ground. Find out which nonprofits have already signed up here:  http://www.crowdrise.com/veteranscharitychallenge. And it's not too late for other nonprofits to sign up, if you want to share this with your favorite org that works with vets.

I may be repeating myself, but it's my philosophy that if someone's willing to serve overseas and risk taking a bullet for me, I should give back at least a little. Also, everyone should remember that it's not only a troop serving, it's also his or her family who gives up a lot for all of us.

We're helping to raise lots of money for these great orgs through the Veterans Charity Challenge on CrowdRise.

The challenge runs from May 23 at 12pm EST (today) through July 3 at 12pm EST.

Here's the deal, the top 3 fundraising teams that raise the most for their cause by the end of the Challenge will win grand prizes:

• 1st place: $35,000 donation
• 2nd place: $25,000 donation
• 3rd place: $15,000 donation

In addition to the grand prizes, $25k will be given to Veterans and Military Family charities throughout the campaign as weekly Bonus Challenges, and I've agreed to do an interview with one org who wins a Bonus Challenge. And we haven't forgotten about the generous donors – there will be prizes throughout the Challenge for donors to win, too, like this t-shirt I designed that says “A nerd’s gotta do, what a nerd’s gotta do.”

If you're able, please help out these orgs. They're the real deal. I’d really appreciate it, and so would the nonprofits doing all the hard work. Visit: http://www.crowdrise.com/veteranscharitychallenge. And, if you're on Twitter, follow the hashtag #VetsChallenge to join the conversation.

This is my small part to make a difference here; I don't see it as altruism, it just feels good. A nerd's gotta do, what a nerd's gotta do, and if you could help, it'd really be a good way to thank the vets and their families.

In 2011 Inveneo and Coolnet, with funding from craigconnects, began Palestine's Technical Vocational Educational Training (TVET) program.

Connected to aging infrastructure with extreme network congestion, the schools were functionally cut off from the Internet, with one principal needing to disconnect the entire school and wait 15 minutes just to send email. The solution was a network designed by Inveneo and built using local resources, which in 2013 began delivering broadband at roughly 1,000 times the previous speeds.

Palestine Nablus Students

Inveneo's focus on design, local knowledge, and the right partners proved highly successful, enabling a smooth implementation while keeping expenses low and local. The TVETs are currently closed, but when students return they'll finally have the Internet, powerful educational tools, and the whole world at their fingertips. Craig's involvement with this effort is part of the Partnership for a New Beginning, with the approval of the US, Israeli, and Palestinian authorities.

The campus of Nablus Industrial Secondary School, waiting for students to return. Photo: Bob Marsh

Read the full story here.

Cheers,
Aaron

Marketing & Communications Manager, Inveneo

Hey folks, I went to NYC a few months back for a Vanity Fair photo shoot with DonorsChoose.org staff, board members, and advisers. All photos were taken by Annie Leibovitz.

The photo shoot took place at P.S. 33 in NYC. Featured are DonorsChoose.org board members and advisers Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek; Livia Stone and Biz Stone, Twitter co-founder; Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit; Charles Best, founder and C.E.O. of DonorsChoose.org; Stephen Colbert, host of The Colbert Report; Desirée Rogers, C.E.O. of Johnson Publishing; Anil Dash, blogger and founding partner of Activate; Theresia Gouw, partner at Accel; and myself. Though, somebody who feels I'm a celebrity may need to get out more often.

Vanity Fair photo shoot with DonorsChoose.org. Photo Credit: Annie Leibovitz

Yes, I'm repeating myself but I'm on the board for Donorschoose.org, and I'm currently giving $10k to match half the cost of projects with the keyword “military” if someone like you provides the remainder. If you're able, please help make some matches with the Double Your Impact Offer.

My favorite picture from the shoot is that of Goofy Uncle Craig:

Here's one of my mom reading the article in Vanity Fair after I gave her a copy:

You can read the whole Vanity Fair article here, and please remember to give to military projects via DonorsChoose if you're able.