Salt Lakers top most-charitable list

Salt Lake City is the most charitable city in the nation, according to a list released by TurboTax.

Using 2004 figures from the Internal Revenue Service, the makers of the software TurboTax, a product of Intuit Inc., said this week that the average charitable contribution per person in Salt Lake City was $2,196.

That puts Utah's capital city ahead of other generous cities such as West Palm Beach ($1,874); Washington, D.C. ($1,848); and New York ($1,819). The national average for charitable contributions in 2004 was $1,230.

At an average contribution of $717 per person, TurboTax ranked San Antonio as the nation's most stingy city, followed by Buffalo, N.Y.; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Pittsburgh.

Maggie St. Claire, executive director of the Salt Lake City-based Catholic Community Services of Utah, said that regardless of what type of gift, giving in Utah is a part of the culture, and one that spans all religions.

"It's truly an ecumenical effort," she said. "I think that speaks as highly for Salt Lake City as does any figure that tries to isolate any one religion or group of people."

The Utah Food Bank, located in Salt Lake City, is often on the receiving end of Utahns' charity. Its development director, Amberlie Phillips, said people easily understand the Food Bank's cause — to feed the hungry — and they respond, particularly around the holidays.

"A lot of people feel like they can make a difference," Phillips said.

And if it's not food or cash donations, she added. Salt Lake residents and Utahns in general are well known for giving their time toward various causes.

This past November and December, however, donations of money were up over gifts of food compared to the Food Bank's 2005 figures. That's partly because it's now convenient to donate via the Internet rather than drop off a bag of food, Phillips said.

When food donations are made, the Food Bank issues a receipt to show an in-kind donation. Donors can then attach a tax-deductible value themselves by marrying a grocery store receipt with the gift receipt.

Phillips also said Salt Lake City's ranking by TurboTax could be partly attributable to Utah's religious culture, which fosters community service. While that culture is dominated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she noted that Utah's other denominations also do a good job driving home the importance of giving.