Celebrate U.S. Generosity as We Celebrate the United States

The 4th of July, Independence Day, brings out the very best in me. How about you? Time spent with friends and family, QUALITY time, enjoying each other’s company during the splendid long days, and warm evenings of summer. The word pride comes to mind when thinking about the holiday — pride in our country and its traditions. 

One of the traditions in our country that we can be proud of is our tradition of giving... of philanthropy.  The Giving USA report was released this week.  Did you realize that in the U.S. $427.71 billion was given to charity last year?  That is $1,313 for every man, woman, and child.  Astounding!  And, equally encouraging was that the giving level is almost 1% more than in 2017, so we continue to increase our generosity.

As I’m sure we all have bar-b-ques to tend, parades to watch, and family to visit, I’ll keep this column short.  Best wishes to you and yours during this time of celebration!

Chris Askin, President and CEO