What motivates people to give during the holidays? Is there still time to help?

SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns showed up for their neighbors this holiday season, and the Christmas cheer isn't over yet. Just a week ago, more than 900 families, with more than 2,300 children, were without sponsors through United Way's Sub For Santa program in Utah County.

Heading into the final weekend before Christmas, there were just 53 families left to assist, United Way of Utah County President and CEO Bill Hulterstrom told the Deseret News. But by Saturday night, its website said, "Thanks to your incredible generosity, we've matched all the families in need through Sub for Santa! You've made this holiday season truly magical for so many.

"But the season isn't over yet! If you'd still like to help, you can sign up as a stand-by sponsor to step in if any last-minute needs arise. Your support will ensure that every family wishing for Christmas gets the joy they deserve."

"We're seeing people of all generations and incomes giving. Obviously, people who are more established in their careers often are able to give more this year," Hulterstrom said, adding that 104 of their donations received were from those that have been previously sponsored in their sub for Santa program.

"To me, that's a miracle. People who used to need help are now giving. That's just an amazing thing. People really are still caring about their neighbors."

"I think there's something about us at Christmas time that, traditionally, we look beyond ourselves. And I think that's a good thing. I like when that spirit can carry beyond Christmas. But I think it's very natural that at Christmas time, we look beyond ourselves," he said.

So far, local donations have sponsored 2,602 families, including 6,964 children — 47% of whom have never received help before — who will now wake up to presents from Santa on Christmas Day, as well as an additional 600 "golden angels" who are special needs youth and adults.

Donations are happily accepted past Christmas in what Hulterstrom calls their "Sub For Santa Plus" program, which is designed to proactively help these families with needs beyond Christmas.

Why do we give more around the holidays?

This time of year, the weather gets colder, but the people tend to grow warmer, whether you celebrate a religious holiday or not. In their findings, Charities Aid Foundation America said how generous a person is around the holidays has less to do with their religious denomination and more about how important religion is in their life (71% vs. 50%).

But, "donors regardless of their religion or religiosity donate similar amounts of money during the holiday season and comparable percentages of their annual giving are done in the last two months of the year."

Amount of Americans who have/will donate this year:

• 66% donated year-round.
• 21% donate exclusively in November and December.
• 13% donate exclusively from January through October.

According to the National Philanthropic Trust, Americans donated a combined $557.16 billion last year, a 2.1% decrease from 2021. Though corporate and foundation giving increased last year, individuals aren't giving as much as they used to.

Less than half of American households give cash to charity. In 2016, 20 million fewer American households donated to philanthropy versus 2000.

"We're fortunate not to see a decline in total donations or number of people giving," Hulterstrom said. However, he did say that a large amount of former donors can't give as much this year.

"So collectively, we're not seeing the decline. Anecdotally, we are getting quite a few stories of people saying this year, things have been tougher."

"I think the uncertainty around the economy" is causing people to give less, he said. "You can't ignore the inflationary pressures that many have felt, and you certainly can't ignore, with a lot of our younger families, the housing cost that's just skyrocketed. Somebody who's established and bought their home 20 years ago may not feel that same pinch, but their kids are definitely feeling that pinch or their neighbors are feeling that pinch."

To donate or volunteer to sponsor a family, visit subforsanta.org, or call 801-356-6300.

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