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Melissa Jun Rowley is a freelance entertainment correspondent for CNN and a writer for Causecast. She is @MelissaRowley on Twitter and blogs at melissajunrowley.com.

A look back on 2009 may not be so rosy. A global economic crisis, an increasingly polarized healthcare debate, a handful of iconic celebrity deaths, a plethora of real-time non-news noise (e.g., balloon boy), and of course, Kanye West.

Well, I’ma let you finish the list, but first I’d like to highlight some positive happenings of 2009, made possible by social media. In a world where technology and innovation is driven almost exclusively by profit, web 2.0 users have brought the spirit of giving to the fore. Here are the some great examples of 2009’s social good trends.

During the past year, the manner in which non-profits, activists, and consumers have used social media has changed the face of philanthropy. People are able to participate in charitable giving on a much more grass roots level. Through different online platforms, donors can identify with individuals, rather than just organizations.

J.D. Lasica, founder of the social change learning hub Socialbrite.org, says the model of one-to-one giving has enormous power and will continue to expand.

“Studies have shown that people are more willing to give when they see and hear an individual’s story versus ...