TIME Magazine

Voices of the Volunteers

Four volunteers, and the founder of Teach for America, talk about what motivates them, and what they have learned

Making a Difference at Home

Inspired by their work abroad, Peace Corps volunteers return to the U.S. as teachers, bringing the lessons they learned to the kids who need them most

How Others Serve

Abroad, civilian service ranges from diplomacy to firefighting

Teach for America

Top college graduates spend two years teaching at the worst American schools through Teach For America. Here's a look at other groups and organizations that were inspired by TFA

Harlem Children's Zone Project

Harlem Children's Zone Project links social-service programs together tightly to prevent at-risk children from falling through the cracks. Here's a look at other organizations inspired by this program

Ashoka

Ashoka developed the concept of "social entrepreneurship" or investing in social change like a business and demanding measurable results. Here's a look at organizations inspired by Ashoka

VolunteerMatch

VolunteerMatch has made more than 3 million referrals to socially responsible Web surfers. Some 52,000 nonprofit organizations recruit help through the site. Here's a look at organizations inspired by VolunteerMatch

Saving One Life At a Time

Six million children—and even more adults—die unnecessarily every year. Good people all over the world are doing their best to save them. You can too

In Case of Emergency...

While his New Orleans emergency room took on water, a doctor set up a refuge elsewhere for about 50 critically ill Katrina patients

The Voice of Compassion

Offstage, opera legend Placido Domingo is a one-man charity band

A Shoe That Fits So Many Souls

For each pair of Toms sold, the company gives one away to a child in need

Certain Charity

Former lawyer Cameron Gray gets food to the poor and personally documents delivery for the donors

The Good Samaritans

Melinda Gates, Bono and Bill Gates: three people on a global mission to end poverty, disease—and indifference

Dynamic Duo

United in outrage, Bob Geldof and Richard Curtis organized the Live 8 concerts to get the world to heed their calls for action on African poverty

Here's What You Do

Four leaders whose communities were devastated by natural disasters share their experiences and counsel with their counterparts on the Gulf Coast

Exceptional Healing

Pediatrician Leena Kaartinen has made a career of helping people in dangerous locales

Secret Sharers

A duty-free-shopping mogul gave away more than $2 billion to educational and human-rights causes over almost two decades—all of it anonymously

Learning the Art of Giving

How a Bangalore-based social activist and journalist became a self-taught philanthropist, building two foundations from the ground up

It's Raining Pencils

A rookie teacher in New York City has created an online charity that allows donors to search teacher requests and fund the projects they like best

Run for their lives

Serge and nicole roetheli traveled around the world enduring snakebites and toothache — all for charity

Givers Who Mean Business

It's being called "private equity for the poor" and "a market-based approach to giving"—the Acumen Fund is a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs in developing countries build businesses

To the Rescue

A businessman turned professional samaritan risks his life to save victims of terror and tragedy