Public donations from 795 government-approved fundraising events last year hit a record high NT$7.8 billion (US$235.74 million), up 43.4 percent, or NT$2.37 billion, from the previous year, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said on Monday.
Donations for the earthquake in Hualien on April 3 last year topped the list at NT$1.6 billion, Department of Social Assistance and Social Work Deputy Director-General Yang Ya-lan (楊雅嵐) said.
Department statistics show that the number of government-approved charity events and the amount of money raised has grown annually, with 42.9 percent of the funds raised last year going into social welfare, Yang said.
Photo courtesy of the Tucheng District Office
Donations for foreign aid or international humanitarian assistance comprised 39.95 percent of all donations, she added.
Yang attributed the growth to the transparency of donation information instituted in recent years.
The government continued to advise organizations on how to improve their fundraising methods and use of funds by referring them to professional accountants, Yang added.
Article 17 of the Enforcement Rules of the Charity Donations Destined for Social Welfare Funds Implementation (公益勸募條例施行細則) states that all organizations must make public all details on fundraising events in the previous year by March 31, the ministry said.
The transparency measures have increased public trust in the credibility of such organizations and made them more willing to donate money, she said.
The ministry encouraged the public to verify that the organizations to which they are donating money are legitimate and have been approved by the government, while organizations seeking donations should show documents proving their legitimacy.
Donors should always check whether receipts from donations carry an official serial number and the official designated account from the government, it said.
The government’s Public Donations Management System allows people to check information or data on past fundraising events that have been approved by the government, the ministry said.
They can also see what the funds are being used for, plans for the fund’s usage, amount raised in the past and the results of previous fundraisers, the ministry said.
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