One Time Givers: can $10 donated really save the world?

In my English class last week, we began to talk about what charity really means. On the surface, charitable giving looks beautiful; giving money for children in third-world countries, serving food at the local soup kitchen, but what's underneath? I agree that to make this world better we must work together and contribute what we can, but when does service become self-serving? People see an ad on television for an organization that promises that for sixty cents a day, we can give an education, clean drinking water, and clothing to a child, so they give ten dollars to clear their consciences then forget about it. People go to the soup kitchen and serve soup so that other people can see them serving their communities. It's more like serving oneself, isn't it? Some say, so what if they aren't doing for others but for themselves, at least it's getting done. To tell you my take, it all is the same, and it doesn't really matter, because it is getting done, somewhat... Too bad all people aren't so self-serving as to go out and take care of others to make themselves feel better, then maybe our world would be a kinder, more secretly selfish place. I'd rather see that kind of selfishness than the lazy kind, but that's just my take...