NEW YORK (Bloomberg) — For not much more than the price of the top porterhouse at New York’s Kobe Club restaurant, you could give a whole heifer to a needy family — and notch up a last- minute tax deduction at the same time.At the height of the holiday shopping season, many philanthropic organisations make it easy, even inexpensive, for you to give back. All of the charities let you make gift donations in someone’s honour, and many let you set up gift registries detailing what people might donate in your own name.

Heifer International (http://www.heifer.org) aids families in 50 countries, including the US. For as little as $10, you can buy a share of a sheep, pig or goat; for $20, you can procure a flock of chicks, geese or ducks; a share of a heifer costs $50, and for $500 you can give a family an entire cow. (That Kobe Club porterhouse, by the way, costs $390.)

Families who are beneficiaries promise to pass on their animal’s offspring to another family in need, so “everyone becomes a donor and feels dignity,” said Jo Luck, Heifer’s chief executive and president.

If you’re interested in supporting the arts, Music Rising (http://www.musicrising.org) was started in November 2005 to help professional Gulf Coast musicians by replacing musical instruments lost or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. It was created by U2 guitarist David Evans (“The Edge”), along with Gibson Guitar Corp.; Guitar Center Music Foundation, which supports music programs in the US; and MusiCares, a program that helps musicians with financial or medical emergencies. The initiative has aided more than 2,200 musicians. Donations also will be used for Music Rising’s latest project: replacing musical instruments in churches and schools.

Music in SchoolsTipitina’s Foundation in New Orleans (http://www.tipitinasfoundation.org) also is purchasing musical instruments for schools. The foundation has raised $320,000 so far, Executive Director Bill Taylor said.

“Right now, New Orleans is in trouble,” Taylor said. “The recovery process has been a slow one, and one of the most important parts of the city is the music.”

It costs about $90,000 to equip a high-school marching band with instruments ranging from tubas to trumpets, he said. Since Katrina, at least 17 schools have restored much or part of their music programs.

“Even schools that we’ve helped are still in need of instruments,” Taylor said. “Funding is such that not every music student is able to obtain an instrument.”Adopt a BoobyThe World Wildlife Fund (http://www.worldwildlife.org) works to save endangered species and protect their habitats. The Washington-based organisation works in 100 countries on more than 2,000 conservation programmes.

WWF showcases 40 species of animals for symbolic adoption, with the top five this holiday season being polar bears, tigers, snow leopards, pandas and blue-footed boobies, which are tropical seabirds found in the Galapagos Islands and along parts of South America’s Pacific coast.

The minimum donation is $25 and gifts can be designated in someone else’s name. “WWF is helping people conserve rather than consume by offering holiday gifts that benefit the Earth rather than take from it,” said Terry Macko, vice president of membership.

Warm NewbornsSave the Children (http://www.savethechildren.org) started a campaign last August asking people to knit a cap to keep newborns warm. The effort took off, and the organisation so far has received 50,000 caps. Save the Children is accepting caps until Jan. 15, and executives are expecting a large shipment to arrive after the holidays.

“We’ve heard from people who are making it a part of the holidays,” Save the Children spokeswoman Wendy Christian said. “Youth groups and church groups are making them during their holiday parties <\m> you can still drink the cider and eat the Christmas cookies, but you also knit a cap.” An instruction kit can be downloaded on the group’s Web site.

At the end of January, the organization will send the caps to hospitals in Malawi and Bangladesh. The organization said the countries were chosen because each has a high rate of newborn deaths each year.