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<div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/avg_audio.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Average Americans Gave Away Billions in 2014' data-article-id='550'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='5542'>Last year, Americans again showed they are generous people. </span> <span data-start-time='5542' data-end-time='12250'>A majority of Americans, two-thirds, gave money to charity in 2014. </span> <span data-start-time='12250' data-end-time='16542'>And they gave away more money than ever before. </span> <span data-start-time='16542' data-end-time='22771'>They gave away an estimated total of $358 billion.</span> <span data-start-time='22771' data-end-time='26917'>It is a seven percent increase from 2013. </span> <span data-start-time='26917' data-end-time='37396'>This is according to a report, Giving USA 2015: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2014.</span> </p><p><span data-start-time='37396' data-end-time='48667'>The idea of helping the poor and the less fortunate goes back to the 1700s, when the United States was a British colony. </span> <span data-start-time='48667' data-end-time='54708'>In the 18th century, people gave money to religion and education. </span> <span data-start-time='54708' data-end-time='64979'>But as the country grew and people did well financially, the giving included the arts, health and social causes.</span> </p><p><span data-start-time='64979' data-end-time='75146'>“Giving has been part of our fiber since the beginning of our country,” said Aggie Sweeney, vice chairperson of the Giving USA Foundation. </span> <span data-start-time='75146' data-end-time='82000'>“Americans have always seen giving as an important part of what makes our communities work. </span> <span data-start-time='82000' data-end-time='94771'>In America, we’ve had a belief of taking care of our own and wanting to be able not to only have government take care of things, but to invest in what we feel is really important.”</span> </p><p><span data-start-time='94771' data-end-time='103625'>Now, more than two hundred years later, religion and education still receive the most money from Americans. </span> <span data-start-time='103625' data-end-time='113417'>Religious organizations have received more charitable money than any other cause or group over the last 60 years.</span> </p><p><span data-start-time='113417' data-end-time='115667'>But things are changing. </span> <span data-start-time='115667' data-end-time='120854'>Overall, religion now takes in a smaller percentage of giving.</span> <span data-start-time='120854' data-end-time='131167'>This could be because the United States is seeing a decline, or drop, in religious beliefs, and less people go to church regularly.</span> </p><p><span data-start-time='131167' data-end-time='135583'>“There’s been a steady decline over the years,” Sweeney said. </span> <span data-start-time='135583' data-end-time='156208'>“We do know, as we look at 40-year trends, that the proportion of American households that are actively involved in and participating in religious or spiritual communities has declined and we believe that that accounts for much of the difference in giving to religion.”</span> </p><p><span data-start-time='156208' data-end-time='160438'>Most of the money to charity was from individuals. </span> <span data-start-time='160438' data-end-time='172854'>Another report, from the journal Chronicle of Philanthropy says that the top 50 donors from the U.S. gave a total of $9.8 billion. </span> <span data-start-time='172854' data-end-time='180438'>Americans can use charity gifts as a tax deduction on their yearly tax return forms. </span> <span data-start-time='180438' data-end-time='190792'>In 2012, the average cash charitable deduction on the tax returns was $4,449.</span> </p><p><span data-start-time='190792' data-end-time='197146'>Corporations, or businesses, gave $17.7 billion. </span> <span data-start-time='197146' data-end-time='202208'>That is five percent of the total money donated. </span> <span data-start-time='202208' data-end-time='213625'>Ms. Sweeney says those numbers suggest philanthropic, or charity, giving is not of great importance for many U.S. corporations.</span> </p><p><span data-start-time='213625' data-end-time='223313'>“Corporate giving increased a bit, but when we look at it as a percent of pre-tax profits, it dropped,” Ms. Sweeney said. </span> <span data-start-time='223313' data-end-time='232542'>“I would love to have corporations feel more of a sense of responsibility and commitment to the communities that helped to make them successful. </span> <span data-start-time='232542' data-end-time='235208'>We just aren’t seeing that.”</span> </p><p><span data-start-time='235208' data-end-time='237875'>I’m Jonathan Evans.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/avg_image.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=3122 data-hint-location='103625' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/what_does_charitable_mean.m4a'>What does <strong>charitable</strong> mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='done or designed to help people who are poor, sick, etc.'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/the_main_idea.m4a'><span>the main idea</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/done_or_designed_to_help_people_who_are_poor_sick_etc.m4a'><span>done or designed to help people who are poor, sick, etc.</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/an_amount_that_is_part_of_a_whole.m4a'><span>an amount that is part of a whole</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/giving_freely_or_sharing_money.m4a'><span>giving freely or sharing money</span></div></div></div><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=3123 data-hint-location='135583' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/what_does_proportion_mean.m4a'>What does <strong>proportion</strong> mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='an amount that is part of a whole'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/an_amount_that_is_part_of_a_whole.m4a'><span>an amount that is part of a whole</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/the_main_idea.m4a'><span>the main idea</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/strength.m4a'><span>strength</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/giving_freely_or_sharing_money.m4a'><span>giving freely or sharing money</span></div></div></div><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=3124 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/what_does_generous_mean.m4a'>What does <strong>generous</strong> mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='giving freely or sharing money'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/giving_freely_or_sharing_money.m4a'><span>giving freely or sharing money</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/the_main_idea.m4a'><span>the main idea</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/strength.m4a'><span>strength</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/an_amount_that_is_part_of_a_whole.m4a'><span>an amount that is part of a whole</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=3125 data-hint-location='5542' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/in_what_year_did_americans_give_more_to_charity_than_ever_before.m4a'>In what year did Americans give more to charity than ever before?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='2014'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/2013.m4a'><span>2013</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/2014.m4a'><span>2014</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/1980.m4a'><span>1980</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/2000.m4a'><span>2000</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=3126 data-hint-location='156208' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/most_of_the_money_to_charities_is_from_who.m4a'>Most of the money to charities is from who?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='individuals'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/corporations.m4a'><span>corporations</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/individuals.m4a'><span>individuals</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/government_funding.m4a'><span>government funding</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/politicians.m4a'><span>politicians</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=3127 data-hint-location='197146' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/what_percentage_of_money_was_donated_by_corporations.m4a'>What percentage of money was donated by corporations?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='five percent'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/one_percent.m4a'><span>one percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/five_percent.m4a'><span>five percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/ten_percent.m4a'><span>ten percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/ninety_percent.m4a'><span>ninety percent</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=3128 data-hint-location='172854' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/americans_can_use_charity_gifts_as_a_tax__blank_.m4a'>Americans can use charity gifts as a tax <span class='blank'>deduction</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='deduction'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/deduction.m4a'><span>deduction</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/exclusion.m4a'><span>exclusion</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/exemption.m4a'><span>exemption</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/return.m4a'><span>return</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=3129 data-hint-location='94771' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/religion_and__blank__receive_the_most_money_from_americans.m4a'>Religion and <span class='blank'>education</span> receive the most money from Americans.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='education'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/politicians.m4a'><span>politicians</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/businesses.m4a'><span>businesses</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/education.m4a'><span>education</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/charities.m4a'><span>charities</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=3130 data-hint-location='5542' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/twothirds_of_americans_gave_money_to__blank__in_2014.m4a'>Two-thirds of Americans gave money to <span class='blank'>charity</span> in 2014.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='charity'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/charity.m4a'><span>charity</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/schools.m4a'><span>schools</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/individuals.m4a'><span>individuals</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/278/businesses.m4a'><span>businesses</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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