In honor of National Philanthropy Day on Nov. 15, we want to salute the spirit of giving, which is touching millions of lives around the world every day.
The generosity of individuals is staggering. Donations to the hurricane devastation on the Gulf Coast is about to become the biggest charitable outpouring in U.S. history, according to recent articles. USA Today reported on Nov. 13 that: "Private donations total nearly $2.7 billion just eleven weeks after Hurricane Katrina struck, according to the Red Cross and Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy, which tracks charitable giving. The total amount given to 9/11 charities was $2.8 billion." Recent disasters have proven that individuals can give more when they emotionally connect to a cause.
Individual giving in the United States has stayed at about 2% of net income for the past forty years. That means that people with a $50,000 annual income generally give about $1,000 a year to their favorite charities. (Imagine what this world would look like if we doubled that amount to 4%!)
To celebrate the great milestones in philanthropy, check out the new Web site, http://www.nationalphilanthropyday.org, which includes key dates in philanthropy dating back to 1630.
