Bad times also have a way of bringing out the best in people, and nowhere is this more evident than in the charitable sector. Charitable giving in the United States reached a record $471.4 billion in 2020, a 5.1% increase over the previous year, driven by Americans’ concerns over the pandemic, economic hardship and racial justice.
From omicron infections to climate disasters, gun deaths to economic uncertainty, congressional stalemate to ongoing threats to democracy, Americans arguably have more to worry about than to celebrate this holiday season.
Some removed broken tree limbs from the ground. Others prepared hot meals and shelters for those who have nowhere to turn. And many collected cash, toothpaste, soap, and other items for the many who need them. In the days after December 10, 2021, when tornadoes ravaged the South and Midwest, killing at least 90 people and displacing hundreds, people across the country pitched