In times of crisis, Canadians have dug deep and found ways to help those in need. But donors should take precautions and carefully evaluate the charities they choose to support.

Here are some tips:

• Registered charities are authorized to issue donation receipts for income tax purposes. Contact the charity to confirm that they do provide official receipts. Cheques should be made out to an organization, not an individual.
• Call the charity or look on its website to see how your donation will be used.
• Ask for supporting literature on the charity's past activities to learn more about the organization.
• Check the Department of Foreign Affairs guidelines on how Canadians can help.

The Canada Revenue Agency revokes the charitable status of groups that are no longer eligible to raise funds. Some charitable organizations also voluntarily cancel their status as they wind up their fundraising. In the box below, check the list of groups that the CRA said no longer had registered charity status in Canada on Jan. 21, 2010.