After a volatile year of economic uncertainty, the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy reports that year-over-year corporate donations decreased for a majority of American companies from 2008 to 2009. Nevertheless, overall giving actually rose 7%, as pharmaceutical companies responded to consumers’ hardships with paying for medication with drug continuance programs.

Jeff Rosenthal/ Huffington Post

For young adults, charity is generally viewed as an invisible act, something you might do but not want to advertise. We don't tweet about our charitable donations, and you wouldn't wear your Susan B. Komen 5K Turkey Trot T-shirt out with friends at a bar at night.

Today CNBC interviewed Gerald McSwiggan from U.S. Chamber's Business Civic Leadership Center. The BCLC reports that over 203 companies have donated more than $83 Million to direct aid to Haiti. Watch the interview here http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1390412715&play=1

Timothy Ogden/ Harvard Business Review

The news and images from Haiti are heartbreaking. Many individuals and companies are reaching for their wallets; others are wondering what they can do to help. But the best advice for corporate givers trying to figure out how best to respond is the old adage: "Don't just do something, stand there." To understand why, take a look back at the responses to other recent disasters.