People giving less to charity during the holidays
Posted December 21, 2016 9:39 am.
Last Updated December 21, 2016 9:44 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – If you’re giving less to charity these days, you aren’t alone. A new report from Vancity credit union finds charitable donations have dropped off by 25 per cent among British Columbians.
About 800 people were surveyed across BC and the general consensus was that housing, finances and the current state of the economy are all reasons why we’re giving less to charity these days. “About 81 per cent which is a big majority said housing affordability is the big issue,” explains the bank’s Linda Morris. “By the time you pay your mortgage and other associated costs, they just don’t have much money to donate.”
The survey paints a province rife with financial concerns.
Among the findings
- 69 per cent claim their family’s income is falling behind the cost of living
- 43 per cent feel their personal finances are worse than 4 years ago
- 38 per cent think affordability of housing makes them less inclined to donate over the last three years
If there’s a silver lining in all this, it’s that people in BC are still giving — through volunteering. Nearly 40 per cent of people in BC volunteered for charities over the last 12 months, contributing an average of 50 hours annually.
“I think it says something about people’s desire to support local agencies, not for profit social enterprises by putting their time in,” says Morris. “They’re just feeling the pinch, the crunch.”
