Posted on 11/10/2004 3:31:03 PM PST by pookie18
HARTFORD, Conn. - New England states making more, giving less
Mississippi retains its title as the most giving state for the eighth consecutive year, according to the 2004 Generosity Index created by Catalogue for Philanthropy.
Following right behind are Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee.
New England residents continue to earn more and give back less, according to the annual index of charitable giving.
Connecticut ranks first when it comes to making money, but joins New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island in falling to the very bottom of the 2004 Index.
The survey is based on the average adjusted income of residents and the value of itemized charitable donations reported on 2002 federal tax returns, the latest year available.
New England's stinginess is nothing new. New Hampshire has been labeled the least generous state for six out of the last eight years, with only Massachusetts stealing the title in 1998 and 1999.
While the Nutmeg State has the nation's highest average adjusted gross income at $64,724, its residents donate $175 less to charity than the national average. That ranks Connecticut 44th, a slip of seven places from last year.
Carol Schofield, of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy, said she's disappointed to see where Connecticut ranks, but defends the state's charity work. Factors, such as the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001 and a slow economy may influence how much people are willing to donate, she said.
The index does not take into account non-itemized giving or volunteering, Schofield added.
The latest index reflects a country coping with an economic slump - the national average gross income in 2002 dropped nearly 2.4 percent to $45,953. Despite the drop, the average individual donation fell less than 1 percent.
Exceptions to the trend can be found in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, where the decline in giving exceeded the decline in income.
Southern and Midwestern states, again, top off the generosity index. The region's high generosity level has been attributed to the practice of tithing - giving a tenth of one's earnings to the church.
Mississippi consistently earns its place as No. 1 on the list by generating the greatest disparity between income and charitable contributions. It is ranked as the poorest state in the nation, but comes in fifth on the index for its "giving" rank.
The average itemized filer in Mississippi reported $4,484 in donations in 2002. That beats the national average by $1,029.
Although critics accuse the generosity index of shaming states into giving more, officials at The Catalogue for Philanthropy say the survey is a way of comparison. The Boston, Mass.-based nonprofit group created the index eight years ago.
"Generosity is really what you give as a function of what you have," said spokesman Martin Cohn.
You have it right...Jerry Clower...and I can NOT
believe that I forgot him. He is one of the funniest
people that ever graced this earth. He's from WKBs
neck of the woods.
I forgot John Grisham, too, but he's a lib, anyway. ;o)
Yankees knew those rednecks were up to something.
"He is one of the funniest
people that ever graced this earth."
I should have said "was".
He died in '98, I believe.
He wrote a cook book that had the best tasting pecan pie, I ever had. Jan had mine and I have no idea where it is. I am going to have to go through all of her "stuff" one of these days. Just have not felt like doing that yet.
I hope you can find it.
If not, maybe WKB can help.
If you DO find it, maybe you can pass
it along.
I LOVE pecan pie. ;o)
I don't know whether this is linked to charity or not but you can definitely make a sociological case that Southerners are more profligate spenders than New Englanders.
For instance, Southerners declare bankruptcy at much higher rates than New Englanders, and I believe the rate of savings as a percentage of individual income is also higher in New England than in the South.
I only filed BR evey 7 to 10 years, thank ya
Now, all we need is some creative people. ;o)
Over hear waving hand !!!
Well bourbon, I don't want to have anything in common
with New Englanders, including language. Idea = idear.
Dumb clucks.
Well bourbon, I don't want to have anything in common
with New Englanders, including language. Idea = idear.
Dumb clucks.
This laptop keeps making double posts... :)
and two times, it made triple posts. I'm sorry.
LOL!
The truth is always the funniest.
"Over hear waving hand !!!"
The fact that you are probably the most
creative person in MS goes without saying.
However, I didn't want to "out" you on
a public forum. ;o)
Ok, WKB when you see fabric arranged around a windowframe do you call it:
A) curtains
B) drapes
or
C) a window treatment?*
*If you answer "C," you are definitely "creative" and I submit that you will have outed yourself. :-)
I'm actually very proud of MS for being first in charitable giving. I just wanted to point out that we may also be a little too free with our money, giving more than our share to casinos and credit card companies.
I know, I know....I'm a gloomy gus.
You're right.
I see here locally how the casinos
are making money! None of mine, mind you.
You "know" he's going to come up with his own answer, don't you?
Surely he knows better than to argue with standardized tests!
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