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Charitable Attitudes
This year, we look at how the demographic changes underway
in Orange County are affecting charitable attitudes and behavior. A
troubling trend is that Latinos and Asians, the fastest-growing groups
in Orange County, are less involved than others in charitable activities.
Fifty-six percent of Orange County residents say they filed the long
form on their 1997 federal income tax return, and 45% claimed a deduction
for charitable donations. The results are similar to last year, when
we learned that Orange County is more likely than the nation to itemize
tax returns and claim charitable deductions.
Graph: Income Tax Deductions
for Charitable Donations (Claimed charity deduction in 1997)
Non-Hispanic whites are more likely than Latinos or Asians to have itemized
their deductions (60% vs. 44% vs. 53%) and claimed a charity deduction
(51% vs. 29% vs. 42%). Older, upper-income and South County residents
also are more likely to claim a charitable deduction. Sixty-eight percent
were asked to give to a charitable organization in the past year, including
religious organizations. One in three was not asked to make donations.
The results are similar to last year. Non-Hispanic whites are more likely
than Latinos or Asians to have been asked to make a charitable donation
(75% vs. 48% vs. 71%). Older, more affluent and South County residents
are more likely than others to say they have been asked to donate.
Graph: Asked to Give by Charitable
Organizations (Asked for money or property in past year)
As for charitable giving, 29% of county residents said they gave more
than $500 to all charities in the past year, while 43% of households
earning more than $50,000 reported this level of giving. These results
are similar to last year and within the fairly narrow range reported
in previous years. Between 1987 and 1997, an average of 28% of all residents
and 45% of households with incomes over $50,000 reported giving more
than $500 to charities.
Graph:
Amount Given to Charity in Past Year (Percent over $500 donation)
Non-Hispanic whites are more likely than Latinos or Asians to give more
than $500 to all charities (36% vs. 13% vs. 21%). Sixty-four percent
of Latinos gave $100 or less, compared with 41% of Asians and 31% of
non-Hispanic whites. Giving more than $500 increases with income, and
is highest in the 35-to-54 age group and in South County. This year,
18% say they gave nothing, 22% gave $1-$100, 31% gave $101-$500, 9%
gave $501-$999 and 20% gave $1,000 or more. Residents report a median
donation of $203-down from a year ago when it was $226. This year's
median rate of giving is lower than the average of $221 for the previous
11 years. Finally, volunteering was unchanged this year and remains
similar to national trends.
Graph: Volunteering(Involvement
in past year)
Forty-seven percent of residents say they did some
volunteer work in the past year. Twenty-six percent volunteered for
one group, while 21% volunteered for more than one group. This year's
overall rate of volunteering is comparable to the three previous years,
and is similar to the rate found nationwide (49%) in a recent Gallup
survey. Non-Hispanic whites are more likely to volunteer than Latinos
or Asians (51% vs. 36% vs. 38%). Volunteering increases with income
and is highest in the 35-to-54 age group.
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