If you are like me, you want to give back to the community and help others, but have more than a little trouble just giving your money to an organization not knowing where the money is being used. In some cases, you simply want your donations to serve a specific purpose. Sometimes, getting an answer on how your donation is being used is like speaking in symbols. Some instances are just a matter of not trusting the charity like with several of the American Red Cross’s purported misappropriations of donations, and Alonzo Mourning Charities and other celebrity foundations are spending money flying and putting up their celebrity friends rather than using the money for programs. In these cases, the news is very disheartening and can cause one to lose trust in those organizations. Then of course, there are those of you who may have the desire, but not the monetary means to help out, which in this economy is not a very rare thing. Fortunately, there are several other ways to help others without ever touching your checkbook or wallet.