Generosity

Some generosity info I ran across this morning. Just thought I'd share it. It reminded me of the blessing that is in giving.

• In 2006, Americans gave $295 billion to charity, up 4.2 percent from the previous year.
• Charitable donations have consistently risen faster than the GDP since World War II.
• Per capita, the people in the United States are perhaps the most generous in the world, as measured by what they give.
• Only a third of Americans itemize deductions on their tax returns. Research consistently shows that almost no one is motivated to give only because of their tax consequences.
• Those who donate to charity are three times as likely to give money informally to friends, and even strangers. And they are twice as likely to donate blood.
• People who attend church are 25% more likely to give to charity and 23% more likely to volunteer. They also give 46% more to family and friends who are in need.

Source: Article called "The Surprising Truth About American Generosity" from Trends Magazine