America's poor are its most generous givers

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2009/05/19/68456/americas-poor-are-its-most-generous.html?storylink=MI_emailed

Posted on Tuesday, May 19, 2009
By Frank Greve | McClatchy Newspapers

America's poor donate more, in percentage terms, than higher-income groups do, surveys of charitable giving show. What's more, their generosity declines less in hard times than the generosity of richer givers does.

"The lowest-income fifth (of the population) always give at more than their capacity," said Virginia Hodgkinson, former vice president for research at Independent Sector, a Washington-based association of major nonprofit agencies. "The next two-fifths give at capacity, and those above that are capable of giving two or three times more than they give."

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