Fun and Fundraising

Last night, we attended a fundraiser to benefit a trade school in Uganda.  A retired priest friend of ours (who we got to know when we were part of a group that took an Alaska cruise two summers ago) became a friend of a Ugandan priest when he came to Duquesne University for graduate study.  The Ugandan priest started a trade school which is in need of funds to support its mission of training people in marketable skills like carpentry, construction, etc.  So, Father Jim got a caterer, entertainment and a church hall courtesy of another priest friend of ours who was on the same Alaska cruise.  They both promoted the event through various networks, including church bulletins, Facebook, emails and personal appeals.  About fifty people came, including our neighbors and Priscilla and Tom, and it was fun.  There were basket of cheer and 50-50 raffles, lots of laughter and good conversation.  Father Jim was pleased with the turnout and the results. 
At one point near the end of the evening, my neighbor leaned over to me and started to talk about how hard it can be to know just how to support all the various worthy charities and causes that are out there.  My neighbor was also a friend of Anne Mullaney and we were talking about how committed Anne was to seeing a school built in Haiti.  She pointed out how wasteful it seems when we make a memorial contribution for someone to a charity we do not typically support and it sets off a seemingly unending chain of further solicitation that surely costs more than the original gift and is unlikely to result in any further contribution on our part.
A funny story about direct mail fundraising: JB made a contribution to an Indian School in South Dakota which has some involvement with the Jesuits.   This has resulted in many follow-up mail solicitations.  My husband was telling a Jesuit acquaintance about these solicitations, that seemed to always involve a broken truck, a roof in need of replacement or the building in need of repair.  The Jesuit wryly commented that perhaps they should fire the Development Director and hire a maintenance person! 
Karen asked whether it is better to give small amounts to a wide range of worthy causes or just say no to the vast majority of solicitations and pick a few 'favorite charities' which would receive more sizable contributions?
We never finished the conversation and I don't know the answer.  What does concern me is the extent to which any contribution I make ever actually makes it to the cause it is intended to benefit.   I am close enough to some charitable organizations to see just how much money it takes to raise money; and that there are costs associated with special events particularly that often erode much of what is raised.
But I do feel good about last night.  I know the money is going directly to the cause for which it was raised.  There were no professional fundraisers or event planners involved.  Just one person committed to doing something to help a friend.