Passionate Steward - 10th Anniversary Edition

96 THE PASSIONATE STEWARD
congregations. The issue is not merely that secular fundraising fails
to engage everyone. The pursuit of major gifts also overlooks gifts
of time and talent. While it has been established that there is a
significant connection between volunteering and financial
offerings, what is little spoken of is that this trend does not hold true
for upper income earners. The fact is that the wealthier people
become, the less likely they are to volunteer. The interrelatedness of
the giving of time and talent to the gift of treasure, and the converse,
indicates that, with the exception of the wealthy, those most likely
to give are also more likely to volunteer. The corollary is also true,
as evidenced by the Maritime provinces’ disproportionate rate of
volunteerism amongst Canadians in general. In other words, good
stewardship occurs more often amongst the poor than the wealthy.
If offerings are lagging in the Church it is most likely tied to a
decrease in volunteer ministry amongst middle and lower income
earners. If we believe Christ when he taught, “Where your treasure
is there your heart will be also” (Mt 6:21), then the pursuit of major
gifts from the well-to-do may not only diminish giving amongst
other parishioners, but may have the unintended consequence of
diminishing volunteer involvement in ministry as well.
The obsession with major gifts also ignores the philanthropic
will and generosity of particular ethnic and religious communities,
who tend to be disproportionately represented amongst lower
income households. According to research conducted by
Independent Sector, Hispanics and African-Americans are rapidly
growing segments of the community who engage in philanthropic
causes. Almost “63% of Hispanic households gave to charity in
1998, representing an increase of 6 percentage points over 1995
figures (57%),” 45 each making an average gift of $504. In the same
45 William A. Diaz et al., “Hispanic Giving and Volunteering: Findings from
Independent Sector’s National Survey of Giving and Volunteering,” Facts and
Findings 3, no. 3 (Washington, D.C.: Independent Sector, 2001), p. 1.