Local nonprofit organizations use tool to help from being scammed

Organization turns to Charity Tracker to ensure they make the most impact throughout the community.

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – When it comes to providing assistance, nonprofit organizations in the area look to ensure they do the most good.

But even charities can be scammed by people abusing the system, so these organizations are utilizing a tool to make sure they help the most people in need.

Local nonprofit organizations have limited resources, so it’s important for them to be good stewards of the funding they do get.

Sometimes they have to balance the desire to help with the reality that there are some people out there just looking to scam.

“We as a community want to help but we do not want to help the scammers,” said Reness Sander Executive Director of United Way of Lowndes and Noxubee. “We don’t want to help the repeat offenders. Those who are just rotting or bleeding the system. They are hurting more than they are helping.”

Sanders said the organization turns to Charity Tracker to ensure they make the most impact throughout the community.

“We enter their information into the charity tracker. Now, the charity tracker does exactly what it says it does. It tracks the charity that was given to the family and the reason that we do this is to make sure that we spread the love and help as many families as possible,” Sanders said.

Here’s how it works. When organizations are looking to provide assistance they enter the individual’s information into Charity Tracker.

There, they are able to see if and when they have been provided assistance and what organization they received help from.

Captain Thomas Johnson with the Columbus Salvation Army said their goal is to make the most of the resources the organization has and to be a stepping stone for people to get back in the right direction.

“Make sure that you are in need and in between those months make sure you are doing things so that you don’t get back there again. We want to maximize the funds that we get. Pretty sure every organization out there we want to maximize it. We don’t want to keep seeing over and over duplicates of services,” Johnson said.

Any organization that is listed as a 501c3 or church is eligible to use Charity Tracker.

For 24/7 news and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter