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Online Giving: Free Stuff Gets Charitable

It's better to give than to receive, of course. And dozens of sites let you support charitable and nonprofit programs without digging into your wallet. Click on a button, and the site's advertisers will donate a predetermined amount to the charity. The amount per click is tiny (and you're generally limited to a click a day), but it adds up when thousands of surfers join in.

Why do site sponsors make donations based on your clicks? Simple: They get to promote their products through ads you view, and they gain positive PR through their association with the site. But before helping any charity collect funds--online or offline--make sure you know the facts on such important matters as the percentage of donated funds the charity actually puts toward its cause.

The Rainforest Site, The Hunger Site, and The Breast Cancer Site are sister for-profit sites that invite you to help save rain forest land, feed the hungry, and provide mammograms for women who can't afford them. Each clearly explains how it works and what it has accomplished: The Rainforest Site, for instance, says that its visitors' clicks helped to preserve 4700 acres of land in 2000. For links to other click-for-charity sites, check out DigitalCharity.com, a directory of more than 50 such destinations.

See December's Consumer Watch for more tips on identifying reliable online charities and making contributions to them safely.