UCI

Tracking Questions: Charitable Giving

Giving of time and money to charity took a drop this year. The median charitable donation of $177 reported in this year's survey is $47 lower than the $224 reported in 1994. This year's median donation is similar to the trough of $146 seen during the recession in 1992. Throughout most of this decade, charitable giving has hovered at about $225.

Residents were more likely this year than last year to give under $100 (42% to 38%) and less likely to give over $1,000 (15% to 21%). Thirty-two percent say they gave $101 to $500 and 26 percent gave over $500, similar to most of this decade. In 1990, 28 percent reported giving more than $500 to charity.

Forty-three percent with household incomes over $50,000 gave more than $500 this year, close to the 44 percent reporting this level of giving in 1994 and the 40 percent 1990.

The downsizing in donations this year seems to be primarily among those earning less than $50,000, with 61 percent giving $100 or less, compared to 53 percent in 1994. Among those earning $50,000 or more, 20 percent gave $100 or less, the same as last year. Residents aged 35 and older were also more likely to give $100 or less this year than last (30% to 23%), while 64 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds gave that amount, similar to 1994. The numbers giving $100 or less rose in the West (47% to 36%) and Central County (54% to 46%), while there has been no change from last year in the North (42%) and South County (32%).

There are no differences in levels of charitable donations given between those who have been impacted by or are fearful of the bankruptcy and those who are not.

This year, we continue to look at volunteering time for charitable causes. In 1995, 44 percent of Orange County adults engaged in some volunteer activity, while 22 percent volunteered for more than one organization. In 1994, 55 percent did some volunteer work, and 26 percent volunteered for more than one organization.

Residents 35 and older are more likely to volunteer than are younger residents (47% to 38%). Those with incomes above $50,000 are also more likely than others to volunteer their time to charities (55% to 35%). There are no differences by region.

Those who have been impacted by the bankruptcy are more likely than others to volunteer their time (53% to 41%). There are no differences between those who are very fearful and those who are not fearful about the bankruptcy's future impacts.