Ancient Hebrew wisdom describes four levels of charity. The highest level is to provide a job for one in need without his knowledge that you provided it. The next, lower level is to provide work that the needy one knows you provided. The third level is to give an anonymous gift to meet an immediate need. The lowest level of charity, to be avoided if at all possible, is to give a person a gift with his full knowledge that you are the donor.
-p. 26, Compassion, Justice, and the Christian Life, by Robert D. Lupton