Charitable Giving for U.S. Health Care Rises a Tepid $241 Million in 2008, While Canadian Charitable Giving Plunges 13 Percent, Association for Healthcare Philanthropy Reports

McGinly said, “While technically the recession is or will soon be over, AHP membership feels its impact will continue to impair giving to health care institutions for the near future.”

Grateful patients, businesses, foundations and other U.S. donors made $8.588 billion in charitable contributions to health care facilities and organizations in 2008, the AHP’s Report on Giving determined. This 2.9 percent increase was about half the growth rate achieved in 2007, when donations totaled $8.347 billion. Most disturbing was the fact that total pledges for charity fell 6.2 percent in the latest year, while planned gifts secured but not paid fell almost 13 percent.