Check out books and products that are about charity, or offer a percentage of profits to benefit charitable projects and organizations.

The late king of pop music may have been a troubled soul, but there’s no doubt he had a charitable one.

When you donate your birthday at DonorsChoose.org, you ask family and friends to purchase supplies for needy classrooms across the country. Warning – giving away your birthday doesn’t keep you from aging by another year.

If you need help, forget the old “wish upon a star.” Just go to wishuponahero.com and post your wish. You never know.

Creating volunteer opportunities for families is one way organizations can increase their volunteer force. It can also become a way for today’s hectic families to spend quality time together while doing good deeds for those in need.

This non-profit, US-based organization uses an interesting combination of grants and loans to help poor communities in countries across the globe create and maintain safe drinking water and sanitation systems.

London-based “We Are What We Do” has turned its best-selling action books into a hugely popular website with nearly 4 million helpful actions recorded so far.

While being nice to others is clearly a virtue, it does not necessarily make one charitable. Kindness may give someone a smile, but what needy people really need is a helping hand or, honestly, a hand-out.

Disney, no stranger to corporate philanthropy, is encouraging its young fans to believe they can make a difference in the world. With “Friends for Change,” Disney has even given kids the power to determine how its $1 million donation will be divided.

If non-profit organizations could host huge events with minimal expenses and a large profit, don’t you think they’d jump at the chance? It’s called a “no-show” fundraising event, and in today’s economy it should definitely be considered.