U.S. religious donations to poor countries for relief and development hit $8.8 billion in 2006, according to the first nationwide survey of U.S. religious giving to developing countries.
The amount of $8.8 billion is equivalent to 37 percent of all U.S. government aid, pointed out the Hudson Institute’s Center for Global Prosperity (CGP) in its 2008 Index of Global Philanthropy. Previously, the religious giving for 2005 was reported at $5.4 billion based on limited available data.
“This Index breaks new ground by commissioning the first national survey of congregational giving to the developing world,” commented Carol Adelman, director of the CGP.
“But it’s not just about the numbers,” Adelman added. “It’s about people volunteering their time and expertise to help those less fortunate help themselves.”