TIME IS MONEY. It's as true when it comes to helping others as it is when you're doing business. And now that we're in the season of the holiday appeal, here's a modest suggestion: Give time. Or give money. Or give both.

For the past month, The Sun has been running articles about the sorts of people who make a contribution and are the happier for it. What are some common threads? Enthusiasm, energy and old-fashioned good will are prominent. Also, a certain sort of realism: We can't make a big difference in the world, but we can make a difference.

And that's worth doing.

So right here in Maryland we have people teaching art to the homeless and elderly, raising money for cancer research, helping out at Habitat for Humanity, clearing lots, cleaning soup kitchens (that's not a warm-and-fuzzy once-a-year commitment - that's an elbow-grease-on-a-regular-basis kind of giving), distributing food, helping out with heating oil, providing shelter for the homeless and doing a thousand other things to help the community.

If you're already doing a lot of this, you already know the reward. If you're doing some, try to do more. If you're not doing any, what are you waiting for?

And don't be shy about writing a check, either. Let's face it, it isn't as satisfying as rolling up your sleeves and pitching in, but it's the only way to make certain sorts of help possible.

Right now you've got plenty of opportunities to donate money, to a lot of very worthy causes and organizations. So choose the one, or the several ones, you like best.

There's one charity drive we'll mention here, because it's run by this newspaper, and every dollar you donate will trigger an additional 50-cent contribution from the McCormick Tribune Foundation, which administers the Baltimore Sun Charities.

It's called the Spirit of Sharing Campaign, and it runs through December. All contributions, in their entirety, will be distributed as grants to local charities. To donate, send a check payable to Baltimore Sun Charities to: Baltimore Sun Spirit of Sharing Campaign, P.O. Box 62150, Baltimore, MD 21264-2150. Or you can donate online at www.sunspot.net/spiritofsharing.