(StatePoint)

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual opportunity to spend your dollars on products and services that benefit breast cancer advocacy, research and patient care services. However, experts say that the clutter of pink products on store shelves and online can make savvy shopping a challenge.

“Determining if a given product sold during October actually benefits a breast cancer charity, is not always easy,” says Sarah Rosales, vice president of Corporate Partnerships at Susan G. Komen, the world’s leading breast cancer organization.

One way to ensure that your purchases are making the impact you think they will is by shopping with Komen’s Annual Live Pink program. This year, Komen has partnered with more than 25 companies, and the lineup of products and services available includes everything from specially designed clothing and skin care products, to bagels and bikes. By shopping with the brands in the Live Pink portfolio during October, you can help fund research and care services that support people through their breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and beyond. Program details are transparent on the Live Pink site. To learn more and to shop, visit, komen.org/livepink.

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For other purchases you make this National Breast Cancer Awareness Month that make charitable claims, Susan G. Komen recommends asking the following questions:

  1. What charity is the program supporting? Do promotional materials about the product or service clearly and conspicuously state this information?
  2. How will the benefitting charity use the donation? You should be made aware where your money is going and what charitable programs your purchase will support. Funds raised to benefit Komen, for example, go to support the organization’s advocacy for breast cancer patients, investments in research and a number of direct patient care services.
  3. How is the program structured? What percentage or exact amount of the proceeds will go to the charity? Will the company be making a minimum or maximum donation to the charity? Shop only with companies that offer transparency with regards to program details and how donations are structured.

By shopping savvy this October, you can support the fight against breast cancer and ensure your purchases are making the biggest impact possible.