Scrooges and Angels for 2016

South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond announced the Scrooges and Angels lists of 2016. Ten Angels were recognized at a press conference and honored with a reception in the Secretary of State’s Office following the announcement.

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.

• Aiken Performing Arts Group, Inc., Aiken, SC 82.7%
• Dot’s Kitchen of Westminster, Westminster, SC 85.4%
• Free Medical Clinic of Darlington County, Darlington, SC 97.8%
• Hope, Inc., Rock Hill, SC 90.6%
• HospiceCare of the Piedmont, Inc., Greenwood, SC 92.1%
• International Primate Protection League, Summerville, SC 83.9%
• Lowcountry Food Bank, Inc., Charleston, SC 97.7%
• Pajama Program, Inc., New York, NY 92.0%
• Speak for Animals, Greenville, SC 87.8%
• Teen Angels, Little River, SC 91.2%

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. Charities are eligible to be named as Angels only once in order to recognize as many deserving organizations as possible.

This 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 expenditures 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 organizations designated as this year’s Scrooges are listed below, along with the percentage of expenditures used for program services or percentage of gross receipts remitted. The charitable organizations and professional fundraisers recognized are listed in alphabetical order, and are NOT ranked by the Secretary of State.

• Caddy for a Cure, Inc., Coral Springs, FL 34.1%
• Center for American Homeless Veterans, Inc., Falls Church, VA 27.3%
• Committee for Missing and Abused Children, Inc., Lawrenceville, GA 10.8%
• Law Enforcement Education Program, Troy, Michigan 28.3%
• National Cancer Assistance Foundation, Inc., Daytona Beach, FL 24.0%
• Purple Heart Services, Inc., Annandale, VA 18.8%
• The New Hope Foundation, Inc., Nashville, TN 27.9%
• Veterans Relief Network, Inc., Dyer, IN 33.4%

Professional Fundraisers

• McCall Development of Charleston, LLC, Charleston, SC 1.1%
• Palmetto’s Children Thrift Store, Columbia, SC 0.8%

This was the 21st year in which the Secretary of State’s Office has recognized Scrooges and Angels in order to promote wise charitable giving. “As Secretary of State, I have the responsibility of enforcing the Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act and promoting accountability and transparency to South Carolina donors,” said Secretary Hammond. “I have continued this tradition of recognizing Angels and Scrooges not only to raise donor awareness, but to also acknowledge and offer gratitude to those charities that do so much to help those in need. I encourage all South Carolinians to continue to uplift their communities with their generosity, 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.