I actually quit giving to Habitat for Humanity after they came out with a magazine showing profiles of people they'd helped. Throughout the world, helping, helping, helping. In the US, their example/profile person needed help because a) she was paying for cable tv that her son needed, b) she needed a brand new car because her current one was breaking down etc etc. I don't even remember the rest because after cable TV, I made my decision.
Here is a nice little rundown deconstructing Paul Krugman's essay about how this country is going to the pits economically.