Culture of Generosity in the Northwest

Generosity, noun: 1) readiness or liberality in giving 2) freedom from meanness or smallness of mind or character 3) a generous act, and 4) largeness or fullness; amplitude.

But what exactly IS generosity?

Generosity is selflessness. It is respecting others and giving to the greater good. It is more than what one believes in, but a conviction as a whole. Generous acts, quite often, can be overlooked when maneuvering through our loud, restless, and ever-changing society. Not only is it a characteristic, but also a value, we frequently see embraced by the communities in which we serve.

LifeCenter Northwest’s service area covers a large part of the Northwest corner of the United States – a place where people depend on coffee, escape to the great outdoors, embrace diversity, but also, people who give. Individuals, families, and groups from all over our region of Alaska, Montana, North Idaho, and Washington contribute in many different ways, from small acts of kindness to large-scale charitable gestures. The impact of generosity ripples throughout the region, generating a deeper and more involved philanthropic culture.

Just how generous is the Northwest?

The states in our region rank among the highest in the nation on several scales of generosity, as defined by the Huffington Post and Wallet Hub. Idaho, Washington, and Montana rank in the top ten for states where people volunteer the most. [1] Alaska ranks third in the nation for number of charities per capita,  just below Montana which is ranked second. Idaho has the third overall highest volunteer rate in the nation, and Montana has the highest percent of the population who claim to have donated time.[2] It is no surprise the capacity to give extends beyond these categories, especially when it comes to organ, eye, and tissue donation.

The giving nature of our region is reflected in the high donor designation rates, which are well above the nation’s average of 50 percent. Washington has the third highest donor designation rate at 85 percent, Alaska sits at number two with 86 percent designation, and Montana tops the list with the highest at 88 percent. These percentages represent the number of people who have designated themselves as donors among all state residents age 18 and over, as of January 1, 2016.

Like the existing act of generosity, organ, eye, and tissue donation can go unnoticed, but people in our region, have shown paramount kindness towards the truest form of altruism – the gift of life. We are extremely grateful to work with communities across each of our four states and be a part of a region of givers.

[1] Huffington Post

[2] Wallet Hub