Web makes anyone an instant do-gooder

Tis the season of giving. And many people would love to volunteer their time and money to charitable organizations during the holidays. But we all know it's easy to get caught up in the madness of shopping, baking and traveling and let those good intentions fall to the wayside. Fortunately, the Web makes it easier than ever to connect with philanthropic groups and help out families in need without having to brave the cold, crowded streets.

For those looking to spread a little joy this holiday season, the following Web sites are a good place to start.

• • For the third year in a row, online gaming site Penny Arcade has run a program called Child's Play. The program was initiated to combat the negative image of video games and the gaming community in the media. Child's Play has raised nearly $1 million in games, toys, music, movies and cash that were donated to children's hospitals and has already passed the $420,000 mark this year. Child's Play is now sponsoring 21 children's hospitals in the U.S., England and Canada. Each hospital has set up a wish list through Amazon, and, much like a bridal registry, people can browse each hospital's wish list to see how many of each desired item has already been donated. For those concerned about toys not being delivered to the hospitals on time, Child's Play is also accepting cash donations through PayPal that will be split up evenly amongst the sponsored hospitals.
• • MyTwoFrontTeeth.org matches people up with underprivileged children in the San Francisco Bay Area, Houston, New York City, Seattle and Chicago. The site is set up with thousands of pages, each displaying some information about a young child, a picture drawn by him or her, and one toy on that child's wish list. All of the toys cost under $30, and the Web site will accept sponsorships through Christmas Eve. Even better, sponsorships can be made in someone else's name, so people can make donations in lieu of giving presents to friends, co-workers or loved ones.
• • Tired of passing out socks and candy canes to the family every year? Try giving a unique stocking stuffer--say a goat or a flock of baby chickens--to the family this year. Heifer International is a humanitarian organization that helps underprivileged communities build a sustainable source of food and income by giving them animals and the skills to raise them. Donations can be made in a loved one's name and range from a package of bees and training in beekeeping to sheep and training in collecting and processing wool. Because recipients of Heifer animals are often required to give the first offspring of their animals to another needy family, this can be a truly far-reaching gift.