CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This Tuesday marks Giving Tuesday -- a day all about kindness, generosity and helping others. Making an impact starts with knowing your donation is in safe hands.

How do you know if your donation is going to the right place? Let's connect the dots .

Giving Tuesday was created a decade ago to help encourage people to do good. Everything from animal advocacy to housing equality and medical research has raked in donations from every corner of the U.S.

But charity fraud takes millions of dollars a year in donations away from legitimate charities. Always double-check the websites where you're donating. Several websites, like Give.org , are linked to the Better Business Bureau to help protect your money.

Watch out for similar names. Questionable charities often choose

See Full Page