FOR THE RECORD - Dec. 19, 2008

Charitable gifts: A Health section article Monday about gifts of health-themed charitable donations said that the transaction fee going to an online distributor of such donations, CharityGiftCertificates.org, can be as high as 15%. In fact, only 7% plus a 50-cent flat fee goes to CharityGiftCertificates.org; 3% goes to the credit card company and up to 5% to third-party marketers, if involved. And the flat fees charged by other services can represent higher percentages of a gift depending upon the amount given. The article also quoted the founder of another such distributor, Erik Marks of TisBest.org, as saying that if the recipient of the gift certificate never logs on to select a charity, the distributor then keeps the money, spending it as it sees fit. In the case of CharityGiftCertificates.org, unallocated monies go to its Special Kids Fund. The article also quoted Amanda Gamble, an etiquette columnist in Indianapolis, as saying that a gift to a children’s health charity is always well-received. However, it omitted her first name and occupation. Additionally, the article said that Internet charity gift-card services started in 2007. Some have operated since 2004.