Black Philanthropy Month: Doing our part

Growing up, I remember seeing my parents faithfully tithe 10% of their earnings to the church, volunteer at the local nursing home and send a modest donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital at the end of every year, but they would never describe that giving as philanthropy. My mother would say that she was just doing her part. As August approaches, a month dedicated to celebrating Black philanthropy, I’m reminded of her words.

According to Giving USA, an estimated $557 billion went to nonprofits in 2023, with individual giving reaching $374 billion. Nearly two-thirds of Black households donate to causes, totaling $11 billion annually. While Black households donate a higher share of their wealth (25%) than other ethnic groups, they have the lowest median wealth compared to these same groups nationwide.

Ironically, when we think of the face of philanthropy in America, we do not picture a Black grandmother living in suburban Atlanta who is a caretaker for her husband and two grandchildren or the Black family that volunteers at a shelter every Thanksgiving. We celebrate the individuals who support nonprofit organizations and their communities every day, as without their contributions, the void would be immense.

August is National Black Philanthropy Month, and all month, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta will share stories of Black philanthropists whose generosity is making an impact right here, in our communities. We hope you’ll read and share their stories. If we each do our part, we can reimagine the face of philanthropy together.

In service,

Kimberly Spear
Director of Donor Engagement, kspear@cfgreateratlanta.org