Political climate having an impact on generosity

Nearly 7 in 10 Americans have extended an act of generosity in 2017 as a direct result of the current political climate

News provided by

World Vision

Dec 20, 2017, 07:00 ET

SEATTLE, Dec. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This season of political division is prompting many Americans to respond with acts of generosity.

According to World Vision's annual Holiday Giving Survey, conducted online by Harris Poll among more than 2,000 U.S. adults, the majority of Americans (69%) have extended an act of generosity this year as a result of current political climate in the U.S.

Adults ages 18-34 and ages 65+ are more likely than those ages 55-64 to have extended an act of generosity this year as a result of the current political climate in the U.S. (73% and 71% vs. 62%).

World Vision Holiday Giving Survey results
Other interesting findings from the survey include:

  • Roughly a third of Americans (34%) made a financial donation to a disaster relief cause in 2017 while nearly 3 in 10 have encouraged someone else to extend an act of generosity (29%) or say someone has extended an act of generosity towards them (29%) in 2017.
  • Roughly two-thirds of Americans (65%) believe the current political climate in the U.S. has caused some Americans to become less generous.
  • The majority of Americans (88%) consider themselves a generous person.
  • Nearly half of Americans (46%) believe Americans, overall, are more generous now than they were two years ago.

World Vision has encouraged it supporters to participate in its #ShineBright movement, a bold effort to spark more than a million acts of generosity before New Year's Day.

"Giving is good for our souls, and Americans understand that," said Rich Stearns, World Vision U.S. president. "I'm not surprised that a time of division in our country sparks 'the better angels of our nature,' as Abraham Lincoln spoke about, by caring for each other and reaching out to those in need." 

7 year-end charitable giving tips you might not know
Many people use the last week between Christmas and New Year's to make charitable donations that can help with their tax bill, but year-end giving doesn't have to mean last-minute. We all want to be wise with our financial gifts. Here are some ideas to maximize your impact and minimize your 2017 tax bill as you make a difference for children and families in need.

  1. Keep it simple: Give to an organization's general or Where Most Needed fund and allow them to choose the best way to use it.
  2. Pay it forward: Select a monthly donation like child sponsorship to give the gift that keeps on giving.
  3. Give someone else's money: Find out if your employer offers matching donations to double your impact.
  4. Forget your checkbook: Donate personal property rather than financial gifts.
  5. "Double" your tax break: Donate assets like stock or real estate and earn a charitable deduction while eliminating the capital gains tax on the appreciation.
  6. Let the charity handle the details: Open a Donor Advised Fund and let the charity handle the details.
  7. Remember the deadline: Gifts must be completed by December 31, 2017, to receive a tax break.

You don't have to spend a fortune to help a family
The World Vision Gift Catalog gives donors over 100 ways to join the movement to end extreme poverty with life-saving gifts such as child sponsorship that make a tangible impact on families in need. Shoppers don't have to spend a fortune to shine bright in a child's life this holiday season – gifts range from $16 to $39,000. In 2016 alone, more than 112,000 people donated more than 274,000 items from the Christian humanitarian organization's Gift Catalog.

To order from the World Vision Gift Catalog, visit www.worldvision.org or call 1-855-WV-GIFTS.

About the World Vision Holiday Giving Survey
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of World Vision from November 9-13, 2017, among 2,188 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Johnny Cruz ([email protected], +1.206.653.4589).

About World Vision
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, please visit www.worldvision.org or find World Vision on Twitter.

SOURCE World Vision