Heartline Ministries, a U.S.-based ministry working to be the “hands and feet of Christ” in Haiti, has been awarded a first-place $50,000 grant through an online and social media-driven contest.

The SoulCare Project and The Resonate Group launched the Web-based initiative called “Giving of Life” six months ago. Ministries with a 501c3 status could not only apply for financial grants, but also have their ministry made known to a whole new audience via social media.

The top 50 finalists were selected in early November by the votes they amassed from their entry displayed on the Giving of Life website. Viewers at GivingofLife.com could read about the more than 200 ministries, vote on their favorites, and tell others about their vote on Facebook and Twitter. more >>

Christian charitable organizations rank highest in terms of using donor money toward charitable projects and services, according to a recent Forbes study.

The Forbes study ranked the 200 largest U.S. charities based on three criteria: fundraising efficiency (the difference between income and expenditures), charitable commitment (amount of funds directly diverted to charity) and donor dependency.

Four out of the five charities that received a perfect rating in both fundraising efficiency and charitable commitment are Christian organizations. The average for fundraising efficiency for the whole list is 90 percent; 86 percent for charitable commitment. more >>

Donate to charity while you shop? Sounds too easy. But this year, the online shopping mall, GoodShop.com is partnering with more than 2,500 retailers to allow online holiday shoppers to donate up to 30 percent of every purchase they make to the charity of their choice.

Because of GoodShop’s affiliation with online retailers like Amazon, Target, Staples, eBay, Best Buy and Apple, consumers can go to GoodShop’s website to purchase brand names.

And for every search conducted on their Yahoo powered sister site GoodSearch.com, approximately one penny is donated to shoppers’ favorite charities. The site can be used like any other search engine, but with GoodSearch, the pennies add up quickly. Just 500 people searching four times a day will earn approximately $7,300 a year. more >>

The Salvation Army's iconic bell ringers and red kettles have been a staple of the Christmas season for the last 120 years. But in a technologically advanced society, the ministry is now utilizing the help of digital bell ringers to solicit donations through the Internet.

"We're just trying to keep pace with technology, recognizing that the future donors – while they don't know a whole lot about us – the only way they're going to learn and become educated about The Salvation Army is that we're accessible through whatever channel they prefer to use,” said Maj. George Hood, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army, in an interview with The Christian Post on Monday.

The nonprofit ministry developed a strong relationship with the veterans of World War I and II, who supported it and gave regularly during past holiday seasons, according to Hood. Those veterans then shared the “tradition of giving” with their children and grandchildren, telling them to never pass up an opportunity to drop some money into the red kettle. more >>

Scotty MCreery, the 2011 American Idol winner, has got himself involved in Operation Christmas Child to help donate toys and other goodies for less fortunate children around the globe.

"I was raised to help kids that need it – to help kids in foreign countries that don't have the blessings I have," said the singer to UNC. "I want to use this platform I have for good things. Operation Christmas Child means so much to me because it can influence the lives of kids. Through Operation Christmas Child, we can share the love of Christ with as many people as need it."

The organization asks contributors to collect shoeboxes and fill them up with everything a child might need for Christmas such as toys, toothbrushes, candy, books, and more. The donators are asked to gift wrap the box and enclose a check for $7 to assist in the shipping of the boxes. more >>

The Salvation Army is expanding its efforts to support the needy by teaming up with the portable payment technology of Square to develop mobile donation solutions.

Now, passersby can donate not only to the traditional workers with bells and buckets, but they can also swipe their credit cards, or simply enter their card information on a volunteer’s phone.

The Army plans to put the technology into use in strategic locations in four big cities: New York, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco. more >>