http://www.modestneeds.org/ seems to have a clever idea: small scale targeted charity that defends people against being tipped over the boundary between "poor but coping" and "homeless on welfare", for example by losing their car or having a medical bill wipe out their rent. A comparatively small bit of charity now might be able to prevent an awful lot of expensive government or charity intervention, plus keep them in the productive sector and prevent much suffering / learned helplessness

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/newly-unemployed-catastrophe-averted-modest-needs-foundation-invites/