I take great pride in Nashville and in Tennessee and am always pleased to see this city or state rank high in a list that shows just what a great city or state it is in which we live. In a list published by the The Chronicles of Philanthropy, Nashville ranked as the 5th most generous city in America out of the 50 largest cities. Memphis ranked even higher, coming in as the 2nd most generous city and one of only two cities where the cumulative giving of the residents exceeds 5% of the income. To see the complete list and more details about each city follow this link.
Here is the list of the most generous cities in America. I find it interesting that all but one are Southern cities and the one that is not is the home of the Mormon Church. Other studies have found that religious people give more than non-religious people and conservatives give more than liberals. I suspect that the culture of these cities influences their generosity.
| Rank | Metro area | Giving rate, 2012 | Change in giving since 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salt Lake City | 5.4% | +2.7% |
| 2 | Memphis | 5.1% | +6.7% |
| 3 | Birmingham, Ala. | 4.8% | +1.7% |
| 4 | Atlanta | 4.0% | +6.5% |
| 5 | Nashville | 3.9% | +4.8% |
| 6 | Jacksonville, Fla. | 3.8% | +8.7% |
It is also interesting to see where the least generous people live. They live in bastions of liberalism. I think few would dispute that San Francisco is one of the most liberal cities in America and yet they are the sixth most stingy cities in America. Also, there is not much relationship between how wealthy a city is and how much they give. Boston is the sixth wealthiest city in America and fourth least generous city in America of the 50 largest cities. Here is where the least generous people live:
| 45 | San Francisco | 2.4% | -5.2% |
| 46 | Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y. | 2.3% | -10.6% |
| 47 | Boston | 2.3% | -3.8% |
| 48 | San Jose, Calif. | 2.2% | -7.8% |
| 49 | Providence, R.I. | 1.9% | -8.3% |
| 50 | Hartford, Conn. | 1.9% | -8.9% |
In my own case, I support some charities, but maybe not as much as I should. I do however give a considerable amount to political causes. I think that preserving our freedoms, the form of government that made America great, preserving the free enterprise system, and the culture is as important as feeding the homeless or supporting the arts.
Due to my own experience of having the love of my life suffer from Alzheimer's and enduring watching her slip away day by day, one cause I support is the Alzheimer's Foundation. This coming Saturday I will be walking in the Walk to End Alzheimer's. If you would join me in contributing to this battle to end Alzheimer's I would greatly appreciate it. To contribute at this secure site, follow this link and click "$ Donate." A contribution of any amount would be greatly appreciated.
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