INDIANAPOLIS— More than 95 percent (96.4 percent) of Central Indiana religious congregations were involved in some kind of disaster relief effort in 2005, according to a recent survey conducted by the Lake Family Institute on Faith & Giving, a program of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, in collaboration with the Indianapolis Center for Congregations. The survey asked about actions in response to the December 2004 Asian tsunami, 2005 Pakistan earthquake and U.S. Gulf Coast hurricanes.
Half (49.4 percent) of Indianapolis congregations sent individuals or teams to affected areas to help out, 40.8 percent partnered with congregations in affected areas in some manner to provide assistance, and 17.1 percent of Indianapolis area congregations reported housing displaced people.
“This underscores what we already know, that people of faith are among the most generous people in the world, and that their generosity extends far beyond the scope of their own local congregation,” said William G. Enright, director of the Lake Family Institute on Faith & Giving at the Center.
In terms of cash donations, 94.2 percent of Indianapolis area congregations reported giving money for disaster relief in 2005, with the greatest percentage (35.9 percent) reporting cash contributions between $1,000 and $5,000. Among congregations that gave, contributions ranged from less than $500 to over $500,000.
“Religious faith plays a key role in many Hoosiers’ giving. More than nine out of ten Indianapolis area houses of worship gave financially during these crises, and half of them reached out to make vital personal connections to the people and communities affected,” said Gene Tempel, executive director of the Center on Philanthropy.
When asked about their involvement with 2005 disaster relief through non-monetary means, 75.1 percent of congregations reported donations of volunteer time, counseling, food, clothing, materials or housing, and 75.9 percent held fundraising events and/or special offerings for a relief agency.
Despite questions raised during 2005 about whether Hoosiers’ giving in response to multiple disasters in 2005 would hurt donations to other types of organizations, survey respondents report that they did not experience such “donor fatigue.” Eighty percent of congregations surveyed disagreed or strongly disagreed that giving for disaster relief in 2005 came at the expense of giving to their local congregations.
The Lake Family Institute on Faith & Giving honors the legacy of Thomas and Marjorie Lake, and encourages and performs work that examines the integral links between faith and giving in diverse religious traditions, and how spiritual values influence philanthropic action.
The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University is a leading academic center dedicated to increasing the understanding of philanthropy and improving its practice through research, teaching, public service and public affairs programs in philanthropy, fundraising and management of nonprofit organizations. A part of the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), the Center operates programs on the IUPUI and IU Bloomington campuses.
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