There is a drought in Somalia. People are dying everyday. The World Food Programme is offering a chance to feed people, at no charge to you. You take the quizz and provide your email address - a small price to pay for the opportunity to help save a life, for the Talmud says that "saving a life is more important than everything else", and the Torah tells us we can not stand idly by while our brethren (and sistren)'s blood is shed.
http://gifts.wfp.org/quiz/hornofafrica?lead_source=fbshare-wfp-hoa-quiz
To me, this is a major part of being a religious Jew. Rabbi Akiva said "Love your fellow as yourself: That is a major rule in the Torah', and Hillel said that "Do not do to another person what you would not have him do to you", was the quickest summary of the Torah he could give.
Lawrence O'Donnel had a good clip about this on his show today: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/43996238#43996238
This clip specifically adresses concerns people might have about donating. Even if not every organization is perfect, these organizations do help, and we must help to the best of our abilities - as pirkey avot says, "The work is not yours to finish, but you also are not free to disengage from the task" - in other words, we must do our hishtadlut. Furthermore, even this anti-aid op-ed condones giving to programmes like the World Food Programme in times of dire crisis, like the current famine in Somalia: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/camilla_cavendish/article4827881.ece
If people want more information to guide donation decisions, here is a useful sight: http://www.charitynavigator.org/
Here is more information on the crisis in Somalia:
http://thelastword.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/02/7233184-helping-famine-victims-in-somalia
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