With this year's devastating hurricanes and wildfires, you may be thinking about how and where to help. You've probably considered the American Red Cross, but with recent about how they handed relief efforts in Haiti, are they the best option?

We say it's best to consider your options versus not give at all, so we combed through and , two trusted watchdog organizations to see which foundations earn high marks for using the money they raise to directly benefit the programs they say they do. Doing your homework is key, says Sara Nason, spokesperson for Charity Navigator. "Giving is an emotional process and you can easily become overwhelmed," she says. "Take a step back and say, 'I really want my dollar to go to the right place, so let me make sure the organization fits with my passions and is somewhere I'd like to give in the future.'"

This list can help get you started, but it's by no means an exhaustive one. If there's a charity that you're curious about, you can use their search tools to see how they rank. Also check out Charity Navigator's Hot Topics list to find highly rated organizations that have specific donor funds that go to Hurricane Maria, Irma or Harvey, as well as the Mexico Earthquakes. These organizations also have to highlight how they will respond to the crises, Nason explains.

Charity Navigator recommends this 4-star organization that earns a 100 out of 100 for its financial and accountability and transparency score. Why? Over 99% of its expenses go toward making a real difference in the community. They are currently supplying medical aid to areas affected by the hurricanes, the Mexico earthquakes, Puerto Rico and the California wildfires. Regarding the wildfires, Direct Relief has supplied masks that protect against smoke and ash, as well as medical assistance at 40 health centers and clinics.

Considering about 1.8 billion people lack access to safe water, this organization is working to build clean water solutions for people around the globe. In terms of its disaster relief efforts for Hurricane Irma, 100% of your donation will go toward supplying the H20 they desperately need.

With the slogan "give and it gets there," you can count on that. This gets a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for its commitment to serving children and families touched by natural disasters worldwide. Most of the funds go toward providing medical supplies, and a smaller portion is reserved for community development and disaster relief. Currently, they're funding Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, along with the Mexico Earthquake. If you'd like, you can specify where you'd like your donation to go.

It will feel good to know that 100% of your money goes toward research to prevent, slow or reverse this devastating disease. In its Alzheimer's Genome Project, researchers identified nearly 1,000 new genetic mutations involved in the disease.

With Charity Navigator's highest four-star rating, the EDF focuses on finding solutions for clean energy, expanding sustainable fishing, and reducing pollution exposure. Along with influencing legislation, they also build partnerships with corporations to get them on board with environmentally friendly initiatives. For instance, they worked with Walmart to reduce toxic chemicals in their household products, an effect that rippled to other companies like Target.

This is one charity that earns a perfect score on Charity Navigator, which is a big deal. The organization collects, sorts, ships and distributes books to students in Africa. Ultimately, they want to end the book famine on the continent. You can choose to donate money or books (but it's a good idea to pay for shipping if you're giving the latter).

Yep, that PetSmart. Daily, their mission is to help shelter animals find their forever home. They're also working to help our furry victims of natural disasters by funding $3 million to animal welfare organizations that serve pets (and their parents) affected by Hurricane Harvey and other natural disasters.

Providing humanitarian help domestically and internationally, this four-star Charity Navigator-rated foundation also focuses on crisis relief. In Haiti, the org brings in healthcare to people living in deteriorating houses affected by the 2010 earthquake. Currently, they're putting their efforts toward Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, as well as Maria's impact in Puerto Rico. You can choose the relief effort you'd prefer to donate.

Though it doesn't get as high of ratings as the other disaster relief organizations on this list, it's still given three out of four stars from Charity Navigator, which is excellent. Most of their funding goes to blood donation programs, while a smaller amount is focused on domestic disaster relief. Thanks to donations, they are providing $400 to Texas households affected by Hurricane Harvey.

There's long been talk about how childhood cancer research is underfunded. This nonprofit has partnered with 23 hospitals in the US, including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, to find targeted treatments and back research with the hopes of eliminating pediatric cancer. A full 88% of their expenses go toward funding these programs.

While many celebrities have foundations, this is one that consistently receives high marks. In fact, 90% of the foundation's funds go toward its goal of finding a cure for Parkinson's disease and improving therapies and finding breakthroughs for those living with the disease.

There are 5,000 local programs in the US, which serve senior citizens in their communities. Though volunteer drivers bring a nutritious hot meal provided at a voluntary cost to the senior, they also provide a friendly visit and a safety check. Meals on Wheels also operates in senior centers.

This Christian-focused organization helps children in need by rescuing orphans around the world. They consistently grab perfect scores on Charity Navigator (15 years in a row!). One reason: so much of their program expenses 맥스카지노� 85% 맥스카지노� goes toward services that benefit these kids.

With the idea that college is expensive (no kidding), Scholarship America manages scholarships to help people realize their dream of attending college 맥스카지노� and staying in school. Also, a small portion of the funding (0.5%) goes toward their community-based Dollars for Scholars program, which awards scholarships to local students.

The organization grants kids having experienced life-altering situations, but Charity Navigator gives it zero stars, mainly because of financial concerns. Only 22% of its expenses go toward making children's dreams come true, while most of the money is eaten up by fundraising. For a similar charity, is a four-star rated organization.

The foundation that allows people to donate their cars, which the organization then sells and uses to benefit their charity programs. That said, Charity Watch gives it a and Charity Navigator has it under a "," for concern that it overstates its charitable work. You're better off donating to , which serves homeless and at risk youth.

What began as a Facebook group to help animals in need worldwide quickly became a non-profit. Problem is, it's under a "high concern advisory" because the IRS revoked its tax exemption status for failure to file their Form 990s for three consecutive years. When you want to help the animals big and small, in the wild, on farms, or pets, the is a great place to go. (It gets an from Charity Watch.)

While they note that their goal is to help veterans, it earns a "" mark from Charity Navigator due to allegations that the charity is a scam and may not be registered with the IRS. To serve veterans, give instead to , which helps service members transition into everyday life in their communities.