My latest favorites:
Team Rubicon - American veterans plus medical personnel acting as disaster response teams, providing volunteer labor to help rescue, clean up, rebuild, and otherwise serve people in need. Currently deployed in the aftermath of Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy.
Doctors Without Borders (aka Medecins Sans Frontieres) - Doctors from all over the world serving in desperately needy areas, bringing medical care to those who might never otherwise see a doctor, to epidemics, etc. Serving/served in the US recently in the wake of Sandy, to assist those in need here.
The Night Ministry - A non-denominational, non-discriminatory charity in Chicago, bringing food, clothing, blankets, a roving free clinic, contraceptives, STD testing to homeless and very needy people. They also provide their clients with job-search assistance and other concrete ways to try to get people off the streets and back into society when possible.
Red Door Animal Shelter of Chicago - A no-kill shelter for dogs, cats, and rabbits (not to mention the occasional other random critter that gets brought in) with a devoted, kind staff of volunteers. They sponsor “spa days” for people’s pets to raise money for the shelter, among other services and fundraisers. Since Easter this year alone, they have managed to rescue off the streets 39 abandoned pet rabbits (alive, that is - domestic rabbits do not live long on their own outside, and not all were so lucky), and that’s not even including all the dogs and cats that have been brought in.
Planned Parenthood. Not just because they may be the only option for an abortion in an entire state. Not just for contraceptives. Because they provide checkups of various kinds for women, men, and children, plus vaccinations, cancer screenings, and so on, and on a sliding scale based on ability to pay.