Selfless charity to poor and needy Is selfless charity to the non-monastic poor and needy, recommended for Buddhists as part of their practice?

How do the different Buddhist traditions differ from each other on this topic?

Quotes from scriptures to support this, would be appreciated.

The target recipients include the hardcore poor, the homeless, victims of natural disasters, abandoned old folks, orphans, shelterless disabled persons, victims of human trafficking, refugees of war, victims of oppression and other displaced persons.
 Animals can also be included.

"Selfless" here means "concerned more with the needs of others than with one's own".
Charity is recommended as a practice as it cultivates Metta(kindness), Karuna(compassion) in the mind. Buddhism does not say to be selective when you are giving for charity. It just mentions that giving to virtuous beings is more meritorious and the way one should give gifts.


  "Selfless" here means "concerned more with the needs of others than
  with one's own".


In an ultimate sense the goal of charity in Buddhism is to cultivate a wholesome mental quality that helps to attain enlightenment. It's not about fixing what's wrong with  the world. There are no others or 'oneself' involved in that sense.