** CHARITY IN AMERICA **
** Charity U.S.A., 2009
Charitable giving in the United States experienced its steepest decline in 2009 since the 1973-75 recession, 3.2% after inflation. It fell 2.4% in 2008.
Americans donated $303.75 billion in 2009, according to Giving USA, down from $315.08 billion in 2008. The other comparable decline was 5.5% in 1974.
Giving to international affairs were hit the hardest, dropping 6.6% last year, followed by giving for public-social benefits, which declined 4.6%. Giving to churches and religious groups saw a drop of only 0.7% to $100.95 billion. Religion accounted for slightly more than 33.23% of all charitable giving in the U.S.
In contrast to this, moviegoers in the United States and Canada spent only $10.7 billion at the theatrical box office in 2009, according to Variety, and $22.78 billion in home video sales and rentals, according to Adams Media Research.
Where the Money Came From in 2009
|
Source |
Amount |
|
Individuals |
75%, $227.41 billion |
|
Foundations |
13%, $ 38.44 billion |
|
Bequests |
8%, $ 23.80 billion |
|
Corporations |
4%, $ 14.10 billion |
Where the Money Went in 2009
|
Destination |
Amount |
|
Religion |
33%, $100.95 billion |
|
Education |
13%, $ 40.01 billion |
|
Gifts to grantmaking foundations |
10%, $ 31.00 billion |
|
Unallocated |
9%, $ 28.59 billion |
|
Human services |
9%, $ 27.08 billion |
|
Health |
7%, $ 22.46 billion |
|
Public-society benefit |
8%, $ 22.77 billion |
|
Arts, culture and humanities |
4%, $ 12.34 billion |
|
International affairs |
3%, $ 8.89 billion |
|
Environment, wildlife |
2%, $ 6.15 billion |
|
Foundation grants to individuals |
1%, $ 3.51 billion |
– Sources: Giving USA 2010 and Chronicle of Philanthropy, 06/17/10.
** U.S. Donations to Religion Versus Movie B.O.
Charitable giving to churches and other religious organizations in the United States totaled $100.95 billion in 2009, but the movies only made $10.7 billion at the theatrical box office in 2009 in both the U.S. and Canada.
Thus, donations to religion in the U.S. alone were nearly nine and one-half times higher!
Donations to Religion versus Movie Box Office
|
Destination |
Amount |
|
2009 U.S. Donations to Religion |
$100.95 billion |
|
2008 Movie Box Office |
$ 10.70 billion |
Despite this huge difference, Hollywood averages about $106 million or more to produce, distribute, and promote, or market, each movie it made, according to the Motion Picture Association of America. Yet, the budget for MOVIEGUIDE® and the Christian Film & Television Commission® (CFTVC) is less than two percent of that amount for the whole year!
Despite this huge discrepancy, in the past 18 years, with the help of this ministry and its Annual Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to Hollywood, the number of movies with positive Christian and moral content has nearly quadrupled!
Imagine, therefore, what MOVIEGUIDE® could do if people in the Church spent one-tenth of what Hollywood spends on only one movie, or $10.6 million every year, to support the work of MOVIEGUIDE® and CFTVC to redeem the values of the mass media of entertainment!
– Sources: Giving USA 2010 and Variety, 01/04/10.
** Religious People Are Much More Generous
|
Category |
Religious People |
Non-Religious People |
|
Give money to any cause |
91% |
66% |
|
Give money to a non-religious cause |
71% |
61% |
– Source: NonProfit Times. Kluth.org.
A study by philanthropy expert Arthur C. Brooks, former Syracuse University professor and president of the American Enterprise Institute, says that conservatives, especially religious conservatives, give far more money and volunteer time to charity than liberals and non-religious people.
The study shows that conservatives give 30% more money to charity than liberals, even though liberals earn 6% more money. Brooks also found that liberals who are religious give more money to charity than liberals who are not religious.
In fact, religious conservatives give 100 times more money to charity than secular liberals or “progressives.” They also volunteer more.
Brooks, author of WHO REALLY CARES? and THE BATTLE, also found that people in wealthier, more liberal states like California and New York are below average in charitable giving compared to people in poor states like Mississippi and Alabama.
In fact, the working poor in the United States give a larger percentage of their incomes to charity than any other income group, including the middle class and the rich!
Finally, the study shows that Americans are far more charitable than Europeans – 14 as much as the Italians, seven times as much as the Germans, and three and one-half times more charity than the French.
Annual Donations to Charities
|
Conservatives |
$1,600 |
|
Liberals |
$1,230 |
Brooks surmises that Europeans and liberals, especially secular ones, believe the government should take care of people, but Americans and conservatives, especially religious ones, tend to believe in personal charity and individual responsibility.
— WORLD Magazine, 12/09/06, and Religion News Service, 01/07/10
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