Regarding America

Americans' Charitable Giving: $300 billion in 2008

By Daniel Hamon

In the midst of a recession, Americans donated an estimated $307 billion for charitable causes in 2008, marking the second year in a row in which Americans have given more than $300 billion. A report from the Giving USA Foundation tracks giving by types of donors and recipients and shows that charitable giving by individuals continues to be the largest component of all donations, reaching $229 billion or 75% of the total. Religious and educational institutions received $146 billion or 48% of the total.

USNS Comfort

By Daniel Hamon

A U.S. hospital ship completed a four-month mission to provide humanitarian care to areas of seven Latin American countries where medical care is limited or not easily available. The USNS Comfort arrived in Haiti on April 9 and left Nicaragua on July 14 to return to the United States. Some of the results include: 100,049 treated patients, 1,657 surgeries, 135,000 filled prescriptions and 15,003 dental patients.