Helping Others?

This morning while punching the time clock in the lobby I noticed two appeals for aid.One to assist an aid who was trying to get his sons and mother out of Haiti and one to donate hours of pto time to a nurse who found out she has cancer and needs some time for her,hopeful,recovery.
I walked into the elevator and the aid I was with said.I'm so tired of people asking me to help.I can't even help myself.
I know how this person feels.Sometimes it seems like everyone needs help every where you turn.No one wants to turn anyone down but one can get burned out from all these pleas for help.
Sometimes I also feel helpless.How do we help everyone in need? How do we pick what is important and what is not? sometimes I feel like I'm shoveling sand against the tide and you know what the tide is winning.
I never like to see anyone in pain.I guess that's why I became a nurse because I have the need to help others but sometimes I feel like I'm drowning myself and am not sure which way to turn.Like I'm being pulled in all different directions.
I try to find charities that I feel are really in need but lately it seems like everyone is in need and I do not know which direction to turn in.
Tomorrow when I stop at work to straighten out some insurance bills,I will donate some money to help this father with bringing his family here and will probably donate 8 hours of my vacation time to the nurse with cancer.Maybe,for whatever reason,this will help in a small way.
Its all so over powering where does it start and where does it end?
To those that much is given much is required.But how much?