Commentary; Posted: 3/15/06
Are Americans generous?
Rev. John C. Blackford,
Religion Columnist
Are Americans generous? Are we doing our share to help the underprivileged of the world? Are we shrinking what many consider to be our God-given mandate to help the less fortunate and selfishly hoarding things to ourselves? What is the picture?
In The Wall Street Journal (April, 15, 2005), Arthur C. Brooks, a professor at Syracuse Universityís Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, wrote, ìThe U.S. is extraordinarily generous. In 2003, Americans donated a quarter trillion to charities and churches, approximately $180 billion of which came from private individuals.
ìThey give far more, per person, than citizens of any other developed country.
ìThe good that comes from American charity is unmistakable. This money represents a large part of the support for the 1.6 million nonprofit organizations in the U.S.
ìIn so doing, it allows Americans privately to provide many of the public goods and services for which Europeans are reliant on the state. We strengthen our self-governance as we provide for those in need.î
The western world, influenced by Christianity, is more generous than other areas of the globe, but our nation is the leader in giving. When the cost of defending freedom is included, it is apparent we are exceedingly generous.
Stewardship is defined as the use of our time, talents and possessions.
In the Minneapolis Star Tribune (November, 6 2005), Kathy Kristof in a column, ìPersonal Finance,î says, ìAfter pouring a collective $4 billion into emergency relief efforts this year, donors might feel tapped out. But...there are other ways to support your favorite cause, even when youíre short of cash.î
She suggests a good way to start is to clean out your closets and volunteer, and that there are things you can do without using your check book or credit card.
She tells of a small charity, which feeds the homeless in Los Angeles and delivers 250 hot meals two nights a week to homeless people.
The cost of each meal, which consists of chicken, rice, salad, beans, tortillas, sweets and coffee, is just $1.
That cost is made possible by volunteers who give their own time, and sometimes their kitchens to make the food and their cars to deliver it.
Donors cannot claim tax deductions for their time, but they can take write-offs for out-of-pocket expenses while volunteering.
When possible, charities prefer cash gifts because it is easy to use cash to address a specific need.
However, in order to encourage people to get involved and volunteer, they let them start out by giving some time and often they come back and find ways to give money, too.
Volunteers may then decide they are not going to buy that extra outfit or go out to eat. They may economize in ways they never thought of before because of the experience. They have gone beyond ìgive until hurts,î to ìgive until it feels good.î
Someone has said that the only things we shall have in our hands at death are the things we have given away.
Not the least of these will be the spirit of generosity we share with our families and others of the next generation.
Are Americans generous?
The questions will probably never be answered to everyoneís satisfaction, but as individuals, we can do our part to make the answer as positive as possible.
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