American charitable giving accelerated again last year

America's leading charities drew in $38 billion (R285 billion) in donations last year. That was an increase of 13 percent over 1998, according to a new report in the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

The top 400 charities accounted last year for about one-fifth of charitable giving nation-wide. Giving has steadily increased over the past decade.

Receiving $1.4 billion in cash and donated goods, the Salvation Army led the 1999 survey for the eighth straight year.

The YMCA ranked second with $693.3 million in donations, followed by the American Red Cross – which saw a 25 percent increase in contributions to $678.3 million.

The American Cancer Society was fourth with $620 million.

Rounding out the top five was the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund with $573 million.

Source: AP, Gifts to the Top Charities Grew 13 Percent in 1999, New York Times, October 30, 2000.

For text http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Charitable-Giving.html

For Chronicle of Philantrophy text
http://www.philanthropy.com/free/articles/v13/i02/02000101.htm