What are the biggest charities in the US? Philanthropic endeavors, while they might not put an end to world hunger or bring about international peace anytime soon, help make the environment we live in a better place. While most of us try to do our parts by helping out as much as we can here and there, large charities across the globe handle donations worth millions of dollars, meant for a multitude of causes, from promoting education, feeding the poor, or aiding the disabled.
Following, we would like to present you with a list we have compiled of the top 8 biggest charities in the US, ranked according to the amount of donations handled by each institution in 2013. This list is from Forbes. Most of these charities aren’t among the wealthiest. In terms of the size of the endowment Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (you can check out Bill Gates’ Foundation here) is the biggest charity in US. It has nearly $35 billion. Warren Buffett has been donating some of his wealth over the past few years and he will keep doing so. The second biggest US charity in terms of the size of endowment is Howard Hughes Medical Center with $16 billion.
Ford Foundation and J Paul Getty Trust are also among foundations with more than $10 billion in endowments. The fifth largest charity in the US is Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with $9 billion in endowment assets. Let’s check out the ranking of biggest charities by donations:
No. 8: American Cancer Society
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society is the largest charity in the US that was designed for a single illness. In the past year, it has raised about $890 million in gifts from generous donors.
No. 7: Food for the Poor
Food for the Poor, a Florida-based charity, distributes food to impoverished populations, mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean. This past year, this charity has amassed a total of $890 million in donations, mostly consisting of donated goods.
No. 6: Goodwill Industries International
The world renowned Goodwill Industries aims to provide affordable clothing to the less fortunate, through its network of thrift shops across the US. Goodwill has received about $950 million worth of donations, mostly clothing and other goods. Money donations are used to help fund employment placement, job training, as well as a series of community programs.
No. 5: Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities, a philanthropic institution in Alexandria, Virginia, mostly directs its charitable efforts towards helping the poor. In the past year, Catholic Charities has received donations amounting to $1.4 billion.
No. 4: Feeding America
Feeding America, headquartered in Chicago, is a network of over 200 food rescue organizations and food banks across the country. In the year that has passed, this charity has handled approximately $1.5 billion worth of donations, most of which was represented by food products.
No. 3: Task Force for Global Health
Headquartered in Decatur, Georgia, the Task Force for Global Health aims to promote health activities in over 50 countries across the globe, the US included. This charity raised approximately $1.7 billion in donations, most of which were medicines.
No. 2: Salvation Army
Although the Salvation Army was originally designed as a church, it is far more popular for its charitable endeavors and social services. In the past year, this charity, based in Alexandria, Virginia, raised $1.9 billion in donations.
No. 1: United Way
United Way emerged as the leading charity in the US, with donations amounting to $3.9 billion, mostly originating from paycheck deductions. The Alexandria-based charity is leaps and bounds over other nonprofit institutions in the country, despite the somewhat harsh economic condition.
