Charity can be defined as the act of giving voluntary help, monetary or otherwise, to those in need. A charity can be an institution, organization, a single person or a group of people. Charity is an act of kindness and benevolence. A charitable act demonstrates love for fellow human beings. The institutions or organizations doing charity work are generally non-profit organizations that solicit and accept donations or gifts from individuals and corporate donors. A registered charity is a charity that is approved by the government to do charity work. Donors receive generous tax rebates in recognition of their service to humanity.

Charities provide assistance to people in need in different ways. Some of them provide relief for aged and poor people. There are charity houses that take care of sick and wounded military personnel. Some institutions provide free education for children while others provide food, shelter and clothing to poor children and orphans. Charities actively participate in the repair of bridges, ports, havens, causeways, churches and other such construction activities. They may also help in the rehabilitation of ex-prisoners and substance abusers.

From a legal aspect, charity is divided into four principal divisions. Charities help to improve the conditions the poor live in. They aim to provide quality education for needy children whose families can not afford to on their own. They also provide medical and interim relief in disaster prone areas and actively participate in projects that benefit a community.

There are some well-known charities that work to provide international charitable aid. The Red Cross is one of the biggest charity organizations in the world, and has collected and distributed aid in almost every country in the world. Charities, big and small, help to build pride, hope, trust and self-sufficiency in virtually every country.