Invisible Children

It’s easy to be critical of charities. For some reason we don’t critique them on the same criteria that we would a business. Take Toms shoes for instance. They make huge profits and spend tons of money on advertising, pay their executives what you would expect to pay a profitable company, etc. and since they are a business with charitable features, they are considered to be generally amazing.
Now flip the tables and you get Invisible Children. They market themselves well, pay their employees well enough to get talented individuals and pay their executives well but certainly significantly less than they would get paid at an equally successful business. But because they are a non-​profit they are scrutinized for it. I appreciate what they are doing and that people make a good living for doing good.
As for this location; it’s a nice space and they were nice enough to give me a tour when I stopped by. I’ll probably stop by again if I have any direct question for them or if I feel like dropping of some coffees to a solid charity. Great to have them on San Diego.

Heard different things about this place. What I don’t get is my neighbor worked for them and she is abusive to kids. How did she even get a job there? Unless she lied on her resume.

The entire Kony 2012 campaign is nothing more than the self-​serving and lucrative pet project of an Evangelical Christian that reduces Africa’s misery to the existence of one elusive despot.
While it is encouraging that all of these privileged, attractive youth are interested in Africa, Kony 2012/​Invisible Children completely ignores the centuries of imperialism that has disfigured and poisoned the continent.
Reversing imperialism, making proper restitution, and allowing Africans themselves to better Africa from that point on will do far more good in the long run than apprehending or taking out a single man, as vile as he is.
The wealthy nations are to blame for Africa’s starvation, drought, and pollution. Malefactors such as Joseph Kony are merely the symptoms.
Africa needs relief and justice not frustrated pop stars who think that becoming neo-​missionaries will bring them what they truly crave for themselves: Fame.
Donate to organizations like Oxfam and UNICEF, and let the fraud that is Kony 2012/​Invisible Children wither into deserved obscurity.
P. S. Kony hasn’t been in Uganda in years, but what is Uganda’s soil rich in? OIL! Let’s hope Kony 2012 doesn’t successfully push our government into another murderous, plunderous military morass.

Not a fan… they stole their design idea. How hard is it to just acknowledge the artist they stole the idea from.
Also, I hear that according to Invisible Childrens own financial stats, only ¹⁄₃^rd of all the money they raise actually goes to help children in Africa… while their three founders make 6 figures.
I’d say research more before dropping in donations.

I don’t have enough specific details about this charity to make a review, there is plenty of information on the web for people to make their own judgment about this. However, the statements made by another reviewer that Invisible Children is not a valid nonprofit are completely bogus.
2011 form 990:
Invisible Children information on IRS website:

This is the old location. They are now located downtown at:
Invisible Children Inc.
1620 5^th Ave, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92 101
GREAT organization. I highly recommend getting involved with them! Watch their Rough Cut film online at: