Americans are giving people. Look at the response of Americans in response to recent natural disasters:
*Hurricane Katrina, Rita, Wilma (2005): $5.3 billion ($4.3 B from individuals)
*SE Asia Tsunami (2004): $1.8 billion
*Haiti Earthquake (2010): $1.4 billion
In response to the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes, 63% of US households made some sort of monetary contribution to the relief effort. 36% of that group gave between $26 and $99; 33% gave more than $100.
In 2004, the US gave a total of $248.5 billion dollars; 75% of that came from individuals.
So how much would you GIVE to help your neighbor in need? Could your household spare $100 over the course of 1 year? That’s less than $10 a month. I think few of us would have a hard time handing $8.33 to our neighbor each month, if they really needed it.
Thoughts?
Seriously, I’m NOT going to ask you for money, and I’m not setting up some sort of Ponzi scheme. I’d be interested in some feedback. Help me out here. How much would you FREELY GIVE to your neighbor, if it would make his or her life substantially better?
Seek-1st 
As folks who live by what is freely given to support our ministry (thanks Greg!) I often hear that people "just don't have" any money to give. I know in SOME CASES this is really true, but most of the time, the people who tell us this, live in a luxury we could only imagine. Starbucks much? But you stated the case in a forthright manner that I never could as the recipient of such giving. Thanks.