Modest Needs
I was reading Cool Tools(rss), when I discovered this website called Modest Needs. It's a great idea. Small-scale philanthropy for people who aren't wealthy. If you've partnered with paypal you can easily make an automated donation. They give out very small grants to people who need to get through a tough time. $200 bucks at the right time can mean a whole hell of a lot.
They operate on a tiny budget, spending $0 on advertising, $0 on fundraising and disbursing grants within 72 hours of approval.
I like this.