Looking for a last-minute gift? I previously wrote a list of the 10 best mental health-related gifts for one with bipolar disorder. You might have one of them winging its way towards you through Amazon or another source right now. But if you’re stuck with only days to go, you might consider giving to a mental health charity in the name of the give-receiver. The question is, what mental health charities are the best? Here, I provide you with some of the best mental health charities that are highly ranked by independent third parties and that I think do good work.
Top-Rated Mental Health Charities to Support This Holiday Season
I know there are a lot of deserving charities out there, and there are a lot of deserving mental health charities, too, so it can be hard to choose where to put your donation. Here are some of the best mental health charities when you want to help people with serious mental illnesses like bipolar disorder.
(Click on the name of the charity below to get to their website to give. Click on the Charity Navigator or Charity Watch link to learn more about why each one is one of the best mental health charities.)
- The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation — This charity is rated 100% by Charity Navigator and an A by Charity Watch, noting that 84% of the money they receive goes directly to their programs (and not overhead). I like them because they focus on alleviating the suffering caused by mental illness by awarding grants that they hope will lead to advances and breakthroughs in scientific research. Mental illnesses are underrepresented in the research landscape.
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention — This charity is rated 100% by Charity Navigator and an A by Charity Watch, noting that 80% of the money they receive goes directly to programs. They are a best mental health charity because they fund scientific research, educate the public about mental health and suicide prevention, advocate for public policies in mental health and suicide prevention, and support survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide. If suicide has touched you, you understand its devastation and know why this work is so important.
- The Trevor Project — This best mental health charity is rated 100% by Charity Navigator (not rated by Charity Watch) and works to end suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ), and questioning young people. These young people are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers and need all the help they can get.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) National — This extremely prevalent mental health charity is rated 98% by Charity Navigator and an A by Charity Watch, noting that 87% of the money they receive goes to programs. This organization’s stated mission is to improve the lives of persons and their families living with serious mental illness. This mental health charity is best because it runs programs and support groups across the US and supports not only people with mental illness but also their loved ones (people who are often overlooked).
- Mental Health America — This mental health charity is rated 100% by Charity Navigator and an A by Charity Watch, noting that 80% of the money raised goes directly to programs. This best mental health charity is dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all.
How to Choose a Mental Health Charity
For me, a mental health-related charity is best when it focuses on mental illness more than mental health. Everyone has mental health, but only the minority have a mental illness, and we’re the group that is underrepresented in research and funding. If you’re giving a donation in the name of someone with a mental illness, that is something you should keep in mind.
Of course, it’s also very important that a mental health charity actually use their funds for programs more than overheard (and believe me, not all of them do). That’s why third-party ratings such as those on Charity Watch and Charity Navigator are so important. So, if you’d like to give to a different charity, say, something at the State level, I recommend checking it through those sources to see the rating given to your chosen charity.
Additional Mental Health Charities to Consider
Of course, the above are just five great mental health charities; there are many others. To find more, check out these lists:
In short, consider the condition of the person to whom you are giving the gift, make sure the focus of the charity matches, and make sure the charity is as useful as possible to the people they want to help by checking their ratings.
And from me, thank you for giving to a cause near and dear to my heart. I hope eventually, we will see a day where bipolar disorder and other serious mental illnesses are manageable for all.
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