I just found a fantastic way (read: simple, cost effective) to support one of my absolute favorite charitable organizations: DonorsChoose.org.

Do you have any unused gift cards lying around? Maybe from a previous birthday/holiday/graduation/engagement party/shower/wedding? Or how about a gift card that you’ve already used with a small balance left on it? No need to let those gift cards sit around collecting dust any longer. Now’s the perfect time to dig them up and make the most of their value.

Plastic Jungle, an online business that lets you buy, sell, or trade gift cards, recently teamed up with DonorsChoose.org to allow you to redeem the full value of your unused gift cards by donating them to a classroom in need.

Normally, when you exchange a gift card through Plastic Jungle’s website, you lose some of its value in the transaction. (For example, you might trade in a $50 gift card to Macy’s for $40 in cash.)

But if you donate your card instead, you’ll get a Charity Gift Card worth the same face value as the original. So you don’t lose a single cent. (DonorsChoose.org pays the transaction fee.) And most importantly, not only do you get to enjoy “shopping” on the DonorsChoose.org website for a classroom project you’d like to fund, but the children and teachers on the receiving end of your gift will reap huge educational benefits from your generosity. And they’ll happily send thank-you cards to prove it.

Especially during these tough economic times, when many of us can’t afford to be as charitable as we might like, the gift card swapping idea is a perfect opportunity to donate to an excellent cause without having to dip into your own wallet.

Plus, there’s even an added bonus: DonorsChoose.org will soon begin sending out donation confirmations to people who exchange gift cards through Plastic Jungle which can then be used for tax deductions.

So let’s break this down: You get a $50 gift card from your Aunt Mary for Christmas for a store you don’t even like. It’s been sitting in a drawer for months, and will probably end up getting lost or thrown away. You decide to log onto Plastic Jungle, swap it out for a Charity Gift Card, and help a kindergarten teacher in a school in your home state buy art supplies for her young students. Presto! You’ve just magically turned a forgotten piece of plastic into memorable learning experiences for children, and you’ll get a tax deduction and a bunch of wonderful thank you letters in the mail to boot.

Now that’s what I call giving made easy.

(Photo: tomeppy’s flickr photostream/Creative Commons)