Make a Donation in Mom's Memory for Mother's Day: What Mom May Have Wanted

Mother's Day is a time of joy and honor for many families, but it can also be a time of sadness and bittersweet memory when mom has passed on. One way to make Mother's Day meaningful when mom is no longer here to celebrate is to make a Mother's Day charitable donation in memory of mom.

A charitable donation in memory of mom for Mother's Day may consist of a cash donation to a charity whose work exemplifies mother's qualities and values, or it may consist of volunteer work in furtherance of those qualities and values. In deciding how to honor a deceased mom on Mother's day, consider the following:

How Did Mom Die?

If mom died of a specific disease, one meaningful Mother's Day charitable donation in memory of mom might be a cash donation to a charity that works to prevent that disease. In deciding on a specific charity to receive the Mother's Day memorial donation, it is useful to review guides to charitable efficiency such as that of the American Institute of Philanthropy, which advises how much of a donation is directed to actual charitable work, as opposed to fundraising and administrative cost. A few examples of the hundreds of health related charities include: American Cancer Society, Alzheimer's Association, Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and the National Diabetes Fund.

How Did Mom Live?

One way to honor the mom who has passed on this Mother's Day is to make a charitable donation in memory of mom that will support the good works that she herself supported during her lifetime. If mom volunteered at the ASCPA or made sandwiches for the local soup kitchen, consider honoring mother by stepping into her shoes and doing that volunteering yourself for a day or a week.

Who Was Mom?

To honor mom's memory on Mother's Day, consider who mom was in choosing the charity to which you will donate. Was mom an immigrant to this country? Perhaps, you could make a charitable contribution in memory of mom to a group that helps new immigrants adjust to their new life here as your Mother's Day tribute.