Almsgiving's always a good idea, but especially appropriate during the season of Advent. For the price of a pizza ($12), you can shelter and educate one child for a month at Vinh Son Orphanage in Kontum, Viet Nam (it's the Vietnamese spelling of St. Vincent de Paul). The two houses are run by the Sisters of the Miraculous Medal, and currently have 450 children. Every cent of your donation goes to the orphanage. The children bake their own bread every morning, learn how to sew and use computers and the like.

Vinh Son Orphanage (VSO)
P.O. Box 9322
Auburn, CA 95604-9322
info@FriendsofVSO.org

You can learn more about it here.