If you’ve ever watched “Extreme Home Makeover” on ABC, then you know that good deeds can be compelling, tear-jerking content that also makes someone a heap of money. The show gives away an entire houseful of free stuff, from refrigerators to jungle gyms, that not only make a positive difference in someone’s life, but also doubles as effective marketing of a refrigerator.

Think about it this way. If you’re a refrigerator maker, then it’s nice to buy a commercial and talk about the roominess or reliability. But it’s an entirely different panacea of promotion to give your product to a family and have them break down in tears of gratitude. Wow. Your fridge just changed my life! It doesn’t get more effective than that.

So it’s baffling to me that absolutely no one in the Web media world has caught onto this craze and adopted it for their own devices. The best model to copy was pioneered by – of course – Oprah Winfrey. Her hit show, “The Big Give,” gave money to a small group of volunteers and challenged them to give it away to those who needed it most.

Now reimagine “The Big Give” as a user-generated content opportunity for your local Web site. In Boston, I was going to name this program “Helping The Hub.” Readers identify people in need and submit a heartfelt story about why they’re worthy of a helping hand. An editor selects the most compelling story and asks volunteers to contact local businesses and individuals to find donations that will change the recipient’s life for the better. (Believe me, community members will volunteer to do the work of finding donors. They just need someone to organize the campaign.)

The entire experience is documented by the Web site either via a blog or video or whatever best generated traffic on your Web site. The business who donated becomes a lead for advertising sales around the blog on the site.

Or, “Helping The Hub” can also start with a generous business that wants to pay to promote a specific product. For example, a university looking to promote its continuing education classes might offer a scholarship and ask that readers find people they know who are deserving, with the winner’s uplifting first-person story appearing in print.

Charity has mass appeal these days. If your media organization can become known for helping its community while also increasing revenue, then the decision should be a no-brainer for branding.