Originally posted on 01/10/2015:

Kiva.com

Microloans. Giving loans out to entrepreneurs in 3rd world countries that could never get one otherwise. Helping people trying to help themselves and their communities. 99% of the time they pay you back right away. I've been doing it for 7 years now, and still keep in touch with a few of the people I helped out. I gave this guy Lubos in Azerbaijan $200 for new tools for his mechanic shop, and he tells me constantly how it changed his life. He paid me back in 3 weeks. It pretty much cost me nothing in the end.

I'd rather donate to that than something that just puts a band-aid on the problem.