I’ve been getting invites from friends on Facebook lately to donate to things such as St. Jude children hospital for upcoming birthday and I was just wondering what any of you think.
No, and you have to be careful with that. Some will sign you up when you donate to have a small amount "donated" every month from your account.
If you are going to donate anything why not just do it in your local community. There are probably causes at your back door that could do with a bit of a lift!
Local charities with low cost or volunteer staff. Some national organizations that I have field visited like MAG (Mine Advisery Group). But no never phone solicited or FB.
I donate directly to local charities.
I never donate via social media, I never donate to national / international charities
The only exceptions are RNLI, lifeboats around UK, and Salvation Army, a religious group in UK, but they gave me soup, clothes, a safe place to sleep and found a lift to get me home when I was too young to wander London alone.
Many times including today: A veteran friend who suffers PTSD lost his son to suicide. He posted a Facebook fundraiser for the suicide hotline to honor his son and with the belief that it saves lives. I donated. There are others that I donated to where 1) I know the person or they are known to others I trust and 2) I trust the money will go towards the stated intent.