KIVA, [micro] loans that change lives
I am a strong supporter of KIVA, a charity organization based in the Bay Area that puts together micro-lenders and micro-borrowers throughout the world including the US. Micro-credit was started by Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh for borrowers with no-collateral who would not qualify for traditional bank loans. It has proved to be one of the best way to support entrepreneurship and help people, especially women, out of poverty.
Selling real estate has allowed me to lend to many people and to hopefully make a difference in their lives; every time I close a sale, I make a loan.