I've been following the news stories about the hostage crisis this past week and I'm at a loss for answers. I have never cared much about things like that, I turned my head and looked the other way. This time was different. I feel so useless, and yet so strongly that I need to do something, anything at all. I can't though. I don't know how to process these feelings and I was wondering if anyone had any advice?

If it's about strong feeling I always have the same first advice: write it down. Especially If they cause you to be afraid.
There're some emotions which are resonating so strong in our hearts and minds, that they block us. You're feeling helpless, everthing in you demands to do something to make it better, to change the world so the uneasyness would stop, but you can't and so you come to the conclusion that it's just appropriate to feel useless. But that shouldn't be the case.

You are not useless. Nobody expects you to go out there and change all the bad thing that are happening in the world. You are a human being like everybody else here. Don't let your emotions tell you otherwise, okay?
Try to guide yourself through your feelings, take a piece of paper and a pencil and just write it down:
Why did you look the other way before, why did you stop doing that now? What changed? Write down the feelings that come to your mind when your thinking about that crisis. try to find out, where the are coming from.
There is now way to help, at least for people that suffer because they can't handle the impact of what's going on. But is there really nothing you can do?
Do you believe there is a god out there? If yes, try praying. If no, search the web: what exactly is happening out there? What are people trying to do to change something?
Stop the search if you get to the point of not being able to handle yourself anymore, again. Write your feelings down. Find out, why you have them.

Feelings are one of the most important thing we have in our life. We have to learn how to use them to take us forward and not being done in by them.
I wish you good luck!

I believe someday the Dollars will be able to dissolve that uneasy feeling and be able to contribute positively and greatly in the world.

Yaaaa so the guy above me has really good advice that I think you should follow. I'll add some of my advice too. Generally when something occurs and influences the heart, 90% of the time we will never be thinking rationally for an answer, no matter how reasonable it may seem during the current time.
In other words, give -yourself- some time, so that if you ever do want to contribute to the world, you can do it at your max and give it your best shot.