Let’s face it: While our hearts are in the right place, we’re all pretty downright selfish with our time and money. Still, it’s the holidays, and we’re in a giving mood. We just want it to be quick and easy. And as it turns out, you don’t need to make a major time commitment — or shell out huge amounts of cash — to do some good this holiday season. Here are some suggestions:
* World Community Grid — It may have taken a team of geniuses to come up with this plan to simultaneously harness the power of thousands of computers around the globe, but now anyone with a computer can help find a cure for AIDS. Joining this program (worldcommunitygrid.org) allows researchers to link your machine to others to create a supercomputer that can provide scientists with critical information to accelerate the pace of research.
* Good Search — Imagine if every Internet search you perform resulted in a donation to a charity. That’s the concept that drives goodsearch.com, a search engine (powered by Yahoo!) that donates half of its advertising revenue to the charity of a user’s choice.
* Changing the Present — Finally, some meaning behind those annoying virtual gifts that people exchange with their “friends” on Facebook! This application charges a dollar for every gift, but 100 percent of the proceeds collected are donated to a user’s chosen charity. Facebook members can simply type “Changing the Present” into the Web site’s search box to find the group.
* DKMS — Leukemia sucks. But with more than 2 million registered donors, DKMS is the world’s largest bone-marrow donor center and has offered thousands of families hope when people — especially children — have fallen ill with the disease. The group holds registration drives and charity events and offers support for people suffering with a once incurable ailment. A simple blood test or cheek swab is all it takes to participate. DKMS Americas, 33 E. 33rd St., Suite 501; dkmsamericas.org
* Career Gear — For people who come from rough backgrounds, it can be hard to break into the workforce, especially if they don’t have proper attire. Career Gear provides business attire, interview counseling, and job-retention services for the needy. The organization accepts volunteers for their warehouses and, of course, donations. 120 Broadway, 36th floor, New York, NY 10271; careergear.org
* University of the People — Tuition-free higher education for everybody is the goal of this online school that aims to provide accessible higher education to disenfranchised communities around the world. Founder and president Shai Reshef donated $1 million of his own funds to start the university and is currently seeking additional donors and volunteers. The mailing address is 175 S. Lake Ave., Suite 212 Pasadena, CA 91101; UoPeople.org
* God’s Love We Deliver — This interfaith group hopes to improve the health and well-being of men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses by alleviating hunger and malnutrition. It prepares and delivers nutritious, high-quality meals to people who — because of their illness — are unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves. While they seem to be pretty well stocked with volunteers for the holiday season, donations are always welcome. 166 Sixth Ave.; godslovewedeliver.org
* St. Clare’s Homes for Children — It doesn’t get much more heart wrenching than this. St. Clare’s, which is operated by the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children, offers transitional care for homeless, medically fragile babies and children who are ready to leave the hospital but have nowhere to go. The Newark-based group works closely with child protective services and also owns housing for homeless families with members suffering from AIDS, runs an after-school program for kids and even provides a three-week summer camp for those same families. They accept toys, food, clothing and volunteers. 77 Academy St., Newark, NJ; 973-643-0400, ext. 710; aidsresource.org. Also, for the month of December, a coat and boot drive has been organized by kids as young as 3 years old who attend the Academy of St. Joseph in the West Village. To contribute, please call 212-243-5420.