South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond has announced the Angels of 2018. Ten Angels as well as one Honorary Angel were recognized at a press conference and honored with a reception in the Secretary of State’s Office.
The Angels honored represent organizations that exemplify charitable giving in South Carolina. Representatives from all organizations were in attendance to receive a plaque and recognition from Secretary Hammond. The Angels recognized, with the percentage of their expenditures that went toward their program services, are listed below. Those recognized are listed in alphabetical order, and are NOT ranked by the Secretary of State.
Ballet Spartanburg, Inc., Spartanburg – 87.2 percent
Carolina’s Kids, Hartsville – 84.7 percent
Central Carolina Community Foundation, Columbia – 93.6 percent
Community Kitchen, Inc. of Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach – 80.9 percent
Florence Crittenton Programs of South Carolina, Inc., Charleston – 89.0 percent
Good Neighbor Free Medical Clinic of Beaufort, Beaufort – 96.8 percent
Helping Hands of Georgetown, Georgetown – 90.0 percent
Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services P.A.A.L.S, Columbia – 91.2 percent
United Christian Ministries of Abbeville County, Abbeville – 87.3 percent
YouthBase, Inc., Greenville – 88.2 percent
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 several areas around the state.
Traditionally, charities have been eligible to be named as an Angel by the Secretary of State only once in order to recognize as many deserving organizations as possible. Last year, however, Secretary Hammond began the tradition of recognizing a past Angel that has continued to devote a high percentage of its expenditures to its charitable mission. Secretary Hammond designated Home Works of America, Inc., as this year’s Honorary Angel for its service to the people of South Carolina during the floods of 2015 and 2016. Home Works of America, Inc. was originally recognized as an Angel in 2004, and its program service percentage for FY 2016 was 91.2 percent.
In addition to recognizing ten Angels and one Honorary Angel, Secretary Hammond released the “2017-2018 Wise Giving & Professional Solicitor Report.” The report not only provides wise giving tips for donors, but also lists all professional solicitor contracts currently on file with the Secretary of State’s Office. The report also lists the percentages that were remitted to charities by professional solicitors based on joint financial reports filed in 2017.
“Although many good charities use professional fundraisers, we have seen over the years that most ‘Scrooge’ organizations have high fundraiser costs,” said Secretary Hammond. “For example, the professional solicitor Outreach Calling only remits 10 percent of gross receipts to the organizations it solicits for—so if you were to receive a solicitation from Outreach Calling and make a $20.00 donation, only $2.00 would go to the charitable organization. All but one of its current clients were previously named Scrooges. That is why it is so important that donors educate themselves and ask questions before giving away their hard-earned money. It is our hope that the “Wise Giving & Professional Solicitor Report” will give charitable donors the tools they need not only to give from the heart, but to also give smart.”
In addition to reviewing the “2017-2018 Wise Giving & Professional Solicitor Report,” charitable donors may research charities registered in South Carolina by visiting the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.sc.gov. To review a charitable 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.
