by Kath Campbell

Created on: January 14, 2009   Last Updated: March 11, 2009

It's common knowledge that you can charitably give of yourself with acts of service, volunteerism, and sharing talents, but did you know that there are ways to altruistically contribute to the good of society that don't require a large investment of time or money? As a mother of small children, my opportunities to get out of the house and help in the community are few and far between, but I have found some other ways to extend the hand of charity without having to make arrangements for my children to be watched.

1. Kiva.org Microloans

One of my favorite ways to help others is to give microloans through http://www.kiva.org. It's a wonderful program because it allows you to lend your money - as little as $25 - to struggling people worldwide who are trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. Many of the borrowers at Kiva support not only their immediate family, but in-laws, parents, grandparents, and other extended family members. By loaning your money, you are allowing the borrowers to make an investment in themselves; loans are typically used to buy livestock, store inventory, transportation, or other items which allow the borrower to increase the scope of their business. Kiva loans are managed well and have a very low default rate. The best part is that at the end of the term of the loan, you can choose to lend it to another person or withdraw it back to your bank account - you are only "out" the paltry interest you might have received in another investment. Kiva allows you to choose who you will lend your money to which allows you to have a personal connection even from the chair in front of your computer.

2. The Hunger Site and affiliates

http://www.TheHungerSite.com and its affiliates allow you to donate 1.1 cups of food and other charitable items (children's books, free mammograms, animal food, etc.) by simply clicking a button that takes you to a page of advertisements. You can visit The Hunger Site and each of its partners once a day to click and donate.

3. Box Tops for Education and Campbell's Labels for Education

General Mills' Box Tops for Education program and Campbell's Labels for Education program allow you to save parts of the packaging of food products to give to schools. The schools can then exchange these box tops and labels for much-needed funding. It is simple to collect these labels in a baggie located in a utility drawer or other convenient place in your kitchen; once you have a certain amount, you can take it to a local school or even mail it to one such as Heartspring(http://www.heartspring.org/donate/boxtops4education. php

4. Lobby or Blog for Causes

It's no secret that many nonprofit causes are in need of someone to simply help them have a voice. You can raise awareness by blogging or posting on the internet in support of a cause, or writing to your local and national government. (In the United States, you can contact your representative and senators at http://www.house.gov and http://www.senate.gov respectively)

5. FreeRice.com

http://www.FreeRice.com provides a vocabulary game for you and donates 20 grains every time you answer a question correctly. This is no large amount (there are about a thousand grains in a single cup of uncooked rice), but if you are looking to play a game online or preparing for a college entrance exam, you can hone your wordsmithing skills and also earn a meal or two for a needy person.

If you are willing to take a few extra minutes to support these charities on a regular basis, you will find your efforts really add up. Go forth and make the world a better place!

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