Before you give: how to check that a childhood cancer charity is the real thing

Five checks that take about twenty minutes

To check that a childhood cancer charity is legitimate, confirm its federal tax-exempt status and tax ID, read exactly which programs it runs and who those programs serve, find out who founded and governs it, search its name alongside words like complaint and scam, and make sure it lets you pay in safe, traceable ways. A real charity makes all of this easy to find. If you have to dig for basic facts, or someone is pressing you to decide right now, that is your answer.

I help connect businesses, donors and volunteers with Leia's Kids, a national 501(c)(3) that supports children and families facing childhood cancer. I encourage every donor I meet to run these checks on us, because a donor who has done the homework stays. The steps below work for any charity, large or small, and none of them require special access.

Why this cause attracts imitators

Few words open wallets faster than a sick child. That is exactly why people who want to exploit generosity use them. A cause like this produces urgent, emotional appeals, photos that are hard to look away from and a strong instinct to act before thinking. The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers try to rush people into donating so they have no time to research claims, and that vague, emotional appeals without specifics about how money will be used are a warning sign.

Fake appeals rarely arrive through a charity's own website. They show up as a phone call, a text with a link, or a social media post with a child's photo and a payment handle. The FTC notes that scammers often use stolen photos and copy other people's stories, and suggests a reverse image search on any campaign photo you are unsure about. If the same picture appears under a different name somewhere else, you have learned what you needed to know.

Most childhood cancer charities are honest, and many are small, run by parents or survivors who saw a gap and filled it. Small is not a red flag. Secrecy is. The goal of checking is not to find a reason to say no; it is to give with confidence to an organization that will use your money the way you intended.

Check one: tax status and a published tax ID

If a tax deduction matters to you, the FTC advises confirming that the organization is registered with the IRS as tax-exempt, and it points donors to the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool. A legitimate 501(c)(3) will give you its federal employer identification number without hesitation; many put it on the website footer, donation page and receipts. Leia's Kids, for example, publishes its EIN on its website.

Look carefully at the exact legal name. Imitators sometimes choose names that sound like a well-known charity, and a one-word difference can lead you to a different organization entirely. Match the name, the EIN and the mailing address across the website, the donation page and the IRS listing. The FTC also notes that most states require charities and their fundraisers to register with a state regulator, so it is worth checking what applies where the charity operates.

• Exact legal name, matched everywhere it appears
• Federal tax ID published or provided on request
• Listing in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search
• Consistent mailing address and contact details

Check two: programs you can name, for people you can picture

The FTC puts it simply: if you cannot find detailed information about a charity's mission and programs, be suspicious. A real children's cancer charity can tell you what it actually does, for whom and how a family gets help. Raising awareness is a fine goal, but if awareness is all you can find, ask what that means in practice.

Compare that with what a transparent organization publishes. On its grant application page, Leia's Kids states who is eligible: a child with a childhood cancer diagnosis who is 15 or younger, living in the United States, with the application coming from a parent, guardian or member of the child's care team. It states that grants help offset costs such as travel for treatment, food insecurity and child care, that awards are made monthly, and that approved grants are issued by check. You do not have to agree with every rule, but you can see how the money moves. That is what you are looking for.

Still deciding? Ask the questions out loud

If you are weighing a gift to Leia's Kids and want the answers from a person rather than a website, ask me. I would rather you call with ten pointed questions than give without them. Which program would your gift support, how does a family apply, what does the annual impact report cover, who sits on the board: all fair questions, and you should get plain answers.

The same goes for any charity you are considering. An organization that welcomes your questions is usually one that deserves your gift.

Check three: the people behind it

Find out who founded the organization, who runs it day to day and who governs it. A legitimate charity names its leadership and board, and you can usually learn why they started. Leia's Kids was founded by Leia Hunt Toellner, who was diagnosed with retinoblastoma at age two, is a two-time childhood cancer survivor and started the foundation at 18 while still in high school. Its About page lists the board members and their roles and the team that runs the work.

A founder's story is not proof by itself, but it tells you something about priorities. An organization built by someone who lived the problem tends to design programs around what families actually run short of. If you cannot find any names at all, or the names lead nowhere, treat that as a reason to keep looking.

Check four: how it asks for money

How a charity asks is often more revealing than what it says. According to the FTC, a request to pay only by cryptocurrency, wire transfer, payment app or gift card is a sign of fraud, and if a charity will not accept a check or credit card, it is likely a scam. The FTC also warns about callers who claim you already pledged, promises of a prize in exchange for a gift and caller ID that is faked to look local.

When in doubt, hang up or close the message and go to the charity's own website directly. Donate through the link you found yourself, not the one someone sent you. Afterward, check your card statement for charges or recurring gifts you did not intend.

• Pressure to give immediately
• Payment only by gift card, wire, crypto or payment app
• A thank-you for a pledge you do not remember making
• A prize or sweepstakes tied to your donation
• Emotional stories with no specifics about programs

Check five: what other people say, and what the charity reports

Search the organization's name with words like complaint, review, rating and scam, which is the FTC's own suggestion. Read what families and volunteers say in public reviews, and notice whether local news or public officials have recognized the work. Then look for the organization's own reporting. Leia's Kids publishes an annual impact report on its website and shares family stories at its gala and online. Read reviews for patterns rather than single complaints; one unhappy comment means little, while the same concern repeated by different people over time means a great deal.

One more check is about the money's path. Gifts made through a crowdfunding page or a social media post can pass through someone other than the charity, and the FTC notes that donations to individuals are not tax-deductible. I explain the trade-offs in crowdfunding for a family versus giving through a charity. And if you are a business choosing a cause to sponsor, the same checks apply before you look at whether a gala sponsorship is worth it.

Questions any honest charity will answer

If you only remember one part of this guide, make it this list. You can ask these questions by phone, by email or in person at an event, and an organization that deserves your gift will answer them without irritation. Vague answers, promises to send something later that never arrives, or a sudden shift to asking for your card number are all reasons to pause.

• What is your exact legal name and federal tax ID?
• Which programs would my gift support, and who is eligible for them?
• How does a family apply, and who decides?
• Who founded the organization, and who sits on the board?
• Do you publish an annual report I can read?
• Can I pay by check or credit card through your own website?

Once you are satisfied, give in a way you can repeat

When an organization passes these checks, the most useful thing you can do is give in a way you can keep up. Steady support lets a charity promise a family help next month, not just this week. If you live in Dallas–Fort Worth, you also have the option of seeing the work up close by volunteering, attending a local event or sponsoring a family at Christmas.

If you want to understand what families are actually facing before you choose, I wrote about what a childhood cancer diagnosis asks of a family. And if you would like to talk through giving to Leia's Kids specifically, reach out. I will answer every question you bring, and point you to the published sources so you can confirm the answers yourself.

Questions people ask me