Today is Blog Action Day 08, when more than 9,000 bloggers around the world are writing posts about world poverty. I made my own small contribution by writing about the Lost Boys of Sudan, the young boys who escaped the civil war and genocide of their country by hiding out and then traveling for years to find safety. 

According to the United Nations, more than 25,000 people die of conditions related to poverty every single day. That's one death to poverty every three and a half seconds. Hard to believe if you, like me, live in relative peace and prosperity in a suburb populated by some of the very Wall Street folks we've  been reading about lately. Where often the most pressing problem of the day is whether to purchase a BMW or a Mercedes, or where you'd prefer to eat lunch:  Bloomingdales or Bergdorf.

Nevertheless, there's plenty we can do to raise awareness about world poverty, to learn more about the epidemic of poverty in places near and far, and to donate a few dollars to improve the lives of those people, particularly the children, for whom poverty is a daily reality.

Here are 10 ways you can make a difference:

1. Rent or purchase the films, "Lost Boys of Sudan" or "God Grew Tired of Us." These award-winning documentaries tell the story of Sudanese boys who escaped the genocide taking place in their villages and eventually found their way to safety. They were "adopted" by U.S. families and struggled to become acclimated to living in a country that, among other things, had electricity. Watch the trailer for "God Grew Tired of Us" on the right. You will be inspired.

Make a donation, large or small, to the Global Fund. This foundation raises money to combat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, all of which have a crippling effect on the fight against poverty. You can donate to the Global Fund through Change.org.

As a part of Blog Action Day 2008, you can go to A Good Cause, which offers a revolutionary shopping concept to fight poverty. You can grab their software, Aidmaker, then purchase from more than 5,000 online shops and you'll be automatically making a donation to a charity of your choice. So far, they've raised $625,000.

You can display your commitment on your lapel by purchasing a Blog Action Day "Solving Poverty" button from CafePress. All the profit from the sale of these buttons goes to Kiva.org entrepreneurs, who are building sustainable businesses in their areas to help lift the community. Find the buttons at the CafePress Store or Buttons of Hope. 

Join the Stand Up Against Poverty project, which takes place this weekend, from Oct. 17-19. Participants simply stand up, sometimes alone, but often in groups, to send a message to governments that people demand anti-poverty targets be met. Last year 43 million people participated. You can organize Stand Up groups in your schools, churches and workplaces. Log on to their website to get involved or to join an event already planned near you. 

Do you know how your daily actions and decisions impact world poverty? Educate yourself and the people around you by making better choices in your daily lives. All the "stuff" in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of the problem is hidden from view. "The Story of Stuff "is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns, and  the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues. It will convince you to create a more sustainable and just world. You can find the video at this website.

If you're a social networker, bookmarker or blogger, there are many ways you can help to make a dent in the anti-poverty crusade. Try joing a few Facebook groups dedicated to combating poverty, or use Twitter today to post links to anti-poverty websites. Sell some of your unwanted items on eBay and donate the proceeds to your favorite charity. Give an organization free ad space on your blog for the next month. Create a video about poverty and then post it on YouTube. 

Sponosor a child through World Vision, an organization that helps children and their families in developing countries, by signing up sponsors who contribute a regular amount of money to help support a child and his or her community. For about $35 a month, you can sponsor a child and choose the child you'd like to support through the World Vision website.

There's always strength in numbers, so why not join a social network that's dedicated to change and improving the world? There are many such networks out there on the Web, but the Blog Action Day folks highly recommend two -- change.org and causecast. if you have a blog, let your readers know about these organizations. 

Bloggers can make a difference by blogging about poverty today -- it's not too late! Hop on over to Blog Action Day 08 and sign up to blog. It's a great way to lend a hand in a small, but personal way. Be sure to register your blog first at the website. If you don't have a blog, visit the site anyway and browse through some of the interesting posts from the more than 9,000 bloggers participating. Maybe you'll learn something!