When major disasters happen, we are often moved by images of misery and despair. An account from a parent who has lost her child, or a picture of an old woman scavenging for food amidst rubble is enough to prompt us to dial a disaster relief organization and ask, "How can I help?" Because most of us can ill afford to take leave from our jobs and volunteer, we're more likely to donate cash or in kind rather than give time. Herein lies the dilemma: "To which of the gazillion disaster relief organizations should I give without being taken for a ride?" (FYI: There are over 1.6 million charity organizations registered in the country, and 60,000 new ones are created annually.)

I wish the answer were that easy . Fortunately, here's one site that features articles on smart giving . Smartgivers.org features guidelines on subjects such as how much to give to a charity, how much a organizations should spend on programs, and donor tax benefits.

Another good resource is the Better Business Bureau's Give.org . It evaluates over 600 national charitable organizations, with a strong emphasis on accountability. It also offers a medium for filing a complaint against unscrupulous organizations. Like Smartgivers.org, the site offers plenty of tips on charitable giving.

It's terrible when an act of kindness becomes an opportunity for getting taken advantage of. Luckily, online resources such as Give.org and Smartgivers.org help us to combine our good intentions with charity savvy.