If I had the money I would probably send it all to the ASPCA. I'm actively involved with animals and would like to help any organization that helps animals that in trouble.

I usually give to my local branch of Second Harvest, a food bank that distributes food that would otherwise go to waste to needy people.

I also like to give to an organization near me that trains service animals. I like them because they are enabling people to live independently and lead fuller lives.

If I suddenly came into a large amount of money I might give to one of the international aid organizations, Doctors Without Borders or the one Z describes (which I wasn't familiar with, but something like this). Just because I normally give to some local organizations, and if I had a windfall it'd be nice to give it to someone I don't already give money to.

I would like to see it spent on a cancer research charity or children's charity. These charities often struggle to find funds compared to animal charities which can run the cute and cuddly campaigns, as it were!

I think it'd be good to include a mix of American and European ones too - the world is a big place.

Doctors Without Borders or something like the Humane Society/ASPCA

If I had an extra hundred bucks lying around, though, it'd probably go to Child's Play.

I like the EFF suggestion. United Way seems OK, as a non-specific charity.

If this has anything to do with dwellings on the island, Habitat for Humanity.

My strongest inclination is towards educational charities, but I don't know what's a good one.

Definitely would have to say Ronald McDonald house... very close friend works with them. Great stuff.

My donation always goes to the JDRF. I know I'm biased, being diabetic myself, but it's a great charity that really puts the donations into a good cause, and we do keep getting closer and closer to a cure... the hardest part is finding the money to put it through the clinical trials required by the FDA. There are some treatments out there that may already cure diabetes, but they might not be available for another 10-20 years at this rate.

Also, while they don't explicitly accept PayPal, I think that almost any charity on this list would probably be willing to come to an accomodation on that score, or the donation could also be made through a (trusted!) third party.

ack.. Ok, this one is not from 'anonymous.' Ronald McDonald House.

I recommend Amnesty International: http://www.amnesty.org/

They work tirelessly to stop human rights violations all over the globe, as well as to help promote the interests of women and children.

But I also like Doctors Without Borders.

Hey Joe,
With ten thousand to give to any one charity, I'd choose the Heifer Project.
Good track record, good follow-through, no politics, no fancy publicity or TV ads.
It just helps people to fill their kids' bellies with food that they helped to grow themselves.
It gives an appropriate kind of "bootstrap" to help people pull themselves up.
It skips the technological glitz and goes right to poor people and the animals that live with them, treating all species with respect.
The Heifer Project was my Grandma's favorite charity, and as I get older it is becoming mine.
Thanks for reminding me, I need to write out my own check.
Best witches,
Hairless

More..:

KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program), USA-based network of open enrollment public schools which aim specifically to bump kids on to college. "The KIPP Foundation is responsible for recruiting and training principals, negotiating with the state to start up schools, and providing additional assistance in starting up schools. All students in the school's vicinity are eligible for admission, which is determined by random lottery, and tuition is free." Again, the full review from Givewell is HERE.

826 Valencia, a non-profit after school youth tutoring center based in the USA which specifically aims to excite disadvantaged kids about creative writing / reading, empower 'em by giving them the opportunity to self-publish their stuff, and generally turn them into life long learners.

FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) is a self-described "progressive group that believes that structural reform is ultimately needed to break up the dominant media conglomerates, establish independent public broadcasting and promote strong non-profit sources of information." Media watchdogs. We need'em.

..but honestly, my vote is still with Partners in Health. I'd go with Doctors Without Borders in a pinch.

I don't know many charities off the top of my head, but anything that benefits kids, I support.

I'm going to agree with Jess on this one and give my nod to Child's Play. They take PayPal, which is apparently necessary. They are international (although, admittedly, there are way more affiliated hospitals in the US than anywhere else). They have a really great cause. In addition, it looks like they're going to come up a bit short this year. Their totals as of December 4th are significantly less than the 2006, 2007, and 2008 totals.

I wanted to also suggest a charity that fed children, but the only one I know of is Feed the Children and this:

"Feed the Children spent only 21-23% of its cash budget on its programs in 2008, and spent $63 to $65 to raise each $100 cash contribution."

Turned me off of them.

Edit:

Looking back through everyone else's suggestions I'm going to add Ronald McDonald House here too.

So

Child's Play: $5,000
Ronald McDonald House: $5,000

I don't know if Ronald McDonald House's main site takes paypal (it won't load on my dial-up connection) but I know individual locations' sites do.

My list, in order from highest priority to lowest priority:

1)St. Jude Children's Hospital
2) March of Dimes
3)Feed the Children
4) Save the Children Federation Inc.
(yes, I am well aware this is all regarding children, but children are the future, and damnit that is important)
5) Classroom, Inc.
6) Human Rights Campaign
7) Planned Parenthood
8) Child's Play
9) Make a Wish Foundation
10) ASPCA

and why:
1-4) What is better than helping children? Seriously. Children need us, we can't continue on this planet without them, why should they suffer?
5) School in New York City sucks, I have been both a student in a section 1 (as in failing school, less than 50% graduation rate) and am now in school to teach in one. Any little bit helps when you go to a school that can barely afford to get supplies. My school was so poor they could not afford to get elevators for the few disabled students they had, they could not afford to have a proper gym... The school was closed for a week due to lead in the 100 something year old pipes... seriously.
6) I find that Defense of Marriage Act is absolutely disgusting, it blatantly ignores the constitution. The Faith and Full Credit Clause in Article I section IV clearly states that each State must recognize legal documents, like marriage licenses, from other states. DOMA basically enables States to ignore same-sex marriage licenses. HRC is fighting for equal rights for Gays, Lesbians, Transgendereds and Bisexuals. I agree fully
7) Six girls got pregnant while I was in high school, I am friends with a girl who has HIV. Sexual education, free clinics and the services they provide, can help prevent this, or help the people who suffer. There are many, many free clinics in New York City where anyone, of any age, can go without question, or parental permission, and get an STD test, free condoms and other forms of birth control, or an abortion. I think this should be available for everyone. How many lives can be saved with proper protection and sexual education? Many.
8) Childs play is for the similar reasons to the first four. The first four keep the kids safe, this makes them happy
9) see above
10) ASPCA is my favorite animal rights group, it cares the most about the protection of the animal, the ASPCA clinics and shelters save many, many animals every year

there you go!

EDIT: Strike feed the children, I just read Adder's post regarding them

You might be able to work around the "they must accept paypal" limitation.
perhaps use paypal to buy a visa(or any other major credit card) prepaid gift card, then use the card to donate to the charity, they should take it just like a normal credit card.

just an idea

That seems like a lot of money for one place..! I'd most likely hedge my bets a bit, cutting the amount at least in two. Heifer international is one I personally like because it helps to feed people in a long term way -- not just providing them with food but offering them the means to feed themselves. However, it is not that highly highly rated for efficiency by Charity Navigator. Carnegie Institution for Science is another personal favorite for its efforts to move knowledge and mankind forward as a whole, and it is one of the most efficient charities out there.

It's a very important thing to think about, I think, when this much money is involved; it's not just about the cause you want to support, it's about getting the money somewhere where it can be most fully put to use.

As such, regardless of my own preferences my vote would go for whichever of the most favored charities by others appears to use the money as efficiently as possible, when checked by as many sources as possible. There are many systems available to check.

(Could I have been more wordy, do you think?)

Umm ... is there a time frame/limit on this?

Of the one's listed so far, I'd go with Medicins Sans Frontiers. (sp?) Some of the others sound good as well, but this is the only one I'm familar with.

Basically ... anything that meets the (in no order of priority) checklist of:

1. Apoloticical
2. No religous affiliation
3. Focused on 'third world' help.
4. Focused on aid to child welfare is preferred, though 'disempowered' in any form might be a better way of putting it.

Happy to put more thought into this if there is a couple of days leeway, but figured I'd get something in for now.

D.

Afterthought: I occaisionally participate on http://www.freerice.com. Before I started doing so I checked that they do in fact operate a legit food donor program and found verification on the UN web site. Just a thought.

I'm with the folks who are behind Child's Play. Anything that helps kids out was gonna get my vote anyway, but Child's Play is just so cool.

Human Rights Campaign also gets my vote, cause they're a little more personal for me. Mostly I vote for the kids, though - someday they're gonna grow up and play Improbable Island, and we want them to be awesome.

okay, for some reason I can't edit my other post, but only March of Dimes and Child's Play take PayPal out of the ones on my list.

Definitely something like everyone else has said: Animals, or any of the children-saving foundations.

I've heard some bad things about March of Dimes and their methods, although I won't repeat any claims because I'm not completely sure I trust the source, or the accuracy/recentness of the claims. On behalf of someone I know, I have to suggest NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. I can't explain their goals well, but their cause is more important than most people realize. I flat refuse to argue who's better than who, though. Just wanted to add this name to the hat, as it were.