Charitable giving in the U.S. reaches all-time high in 2020

UNDATED (AP)- Galvanized by the racial justice protests and the coronavirus pandemic, charitable giving in the United States reached a record $471 billion in 2020. Those findings come from the Giving USA report released on Tuesday. It paints the most comprehensive look into how donors stepped up to meet increased needs that were brought forth by the economic downturn, racial unrest and a virus outbreak that has killed an estimated 600,000 Americans. The report says individuals, estates and foundations opened up their pocketbooks at increased levels — resulting in a 5.1% spike in total giving from the $448 billion recorded for 2019. By contrast, corporate giving declined.