How You Can Help Now

By Christine Gorman

Ready to help save the world? There are thousands of nonprofit organizations from which to choose, whether you want to give money, volunteer your time or donate goods (watch out for shipping costs). Be prepared to do your homework: you can find tools to vet many organizations at www.charitywatch.org and www.charitynavigator.com Lesser-known groups may require more extensive digging. Then follow through with a generous heart. Here's a list to get you started:

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS 212-679-6800 www.doctorswithoutborders.org From Africa to Asia to Latin America, from AIDS to malaria to acute starvation, the medical staff of this Nobel Peace Prize--winning organization has seen--and treated--it all.

THE ONE CAMPAIGN www.one.org You've heard Bono. You've seen the white plastic bracelets. This coalition of faith-based, medical and advocacy groups is trying to rally Americans to demand that an additional 1% of the U.S. federal budget go toward fighting global poverty and AIDS.

PATH 206-285-3500 www.path.org A great spot for technology enthusiasts, PATH spearheaded the development of such advances as temperature sensors for vaccine vials and simple kits to protect mothers and newborns from infection during delivery.

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL 847-866-3000 www.rotary.org In 1985 the Rotarians took on the task of eradicating polio with oral vaccines. Cases have dropped from 350,000 in 1988 to fewer than 1,400 so far this year.

THE GLOBAL FUND www.theglobalfund.org This multinational partnership was created in 2002 to fund a dramatic scale-up in the fight against three big killers: AIDS, TB and malaria.

RX FOR CHILD SURVIVAL www.pbs.org/wgbh/rxforsurvival/ In conjunction with the six-part documentary series airing on PBS this week, WGBH-TV and Vulcan Productions have joined forces with CARE, Save the Children and UNICEF to create a fund for the neediest children in seven developing countries.

GLOBAL SERVICE CORPS 415-788-3666, ext. 128 www.globalservicecorps.org Fancy a bit of travel? Choose from two-week to six-month volunteer stints in Tanzania or Thailand.

HEIFER PROJECT INTERNATIONAL 800-422-0474 www.heifer.org Give a cow, a goat or a pig, and help a family earn a living. Each recipient agrees to pass on the gift by giving an offspring of the animal to another deserving family.

INTERNATIONAL PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION 212-248-6400 www.ippfwhr.org Not a favorite of the U.S. government or the right-to-life movement, the Federation provides contraceptive services and pre- and postnatal health care for women, and advocates for their sexual, reproductive and abortion rights.

Many individual churches, synagogues and mosques have medical-mission and relief programs. Broader umbrella groups include Church World Service www.churchworldservice.org) the Catholic Medical Mission Board www.cmmb.org) the American Jewish World Service www.ajws.org and the Islamic Society of North America www.isna.net) --By Christine Gorman