Utah people are the most generous in the country, a report on charity donations says. For every $1,000 made, Utah residents donated $65.60 to charities, making Salt Lake City the most philanthropic metropolis. At the other end, New Hampshire residents only gave $17.40 for every $1,000 made. Maine and Vermont residents gave just a bit more than their neighbors.
In 2012, the wealthy gave less to charities compared to 2006. For a change, the mid and lower income groups were more compassionate. The Chronicle of Philanthropy released a report saying that richer people tend to give less in troubled economic times. Stacy Palmer, editor at the Chronicle, an important nonprofit news source, argues that rich people were shocked by the economic crisis and tended to be more cautious. Things change in the case of the rest of the people, who were actually hard hit by the recession’s effects.
People who earned more than $200,000 dropped their charity donations by around 5 percent during the 2006-2012 period. Those who earned less than $100,000 increased their donations by 5 percent. However, those making less than $25,000 gave 17 percent more money to charities in 2012 when compared to the pre-recession year. In absolute terms, the rich donated $4.6 billion, a larger sum compared to what the other categories offered.
But there is another striking difference between the two groups. The rich preferred to donate to universities and arts. Instead, the poorer saw people with dire economic situations as more important and gave more to charities offering social services.
“Lower and middle-income people know people who lost their jobs or are homeless, and they worry that they themselves are a day away from losing their jobs. They’re very sensitive to the needs of other people and recognize that these years have been hard,” Palmer says.
Las Vegas saw a dramatic increase in charity donations during the 2006-2012 period. In a top 50, the gambling capital climbed 21 places.
North Dakota residents gave 16 percent less at the end of 2012, making it the state with the highest drop. With $24 for every $1,000, they still offered more than New Hampshire residents.
Larger cities gave much less in 2012 compared to 2006, while the smaller ones maintained they donation rates, the report says. Cities like Philadelphia, Buffalo decreased the sums by more than 10 percent, while Los Angeles and Washington D.C. by around 9 percent.
