Charitable giving can make an individual feel good and provide many other benefits. Here are some philanthropic items to ponder.

* Americans are the most generous charitable donors in the world. It would take 14 Italians, 3 French and 7 Germans to equal the donating power of one American.

* There are close to 975,000 public charities in the United States.

* Research has indicated that when calculated as a percentage of income, those who make the least tend to give the most.

* Individuals with a conservative political perspective are more likely to donate to charity than liberals.

* The most common reason upper-bracket earners cite for not giving to charity is, “I can’t afford it.”

– Sources:Charity Navigator, National Center for Charitable Statistics, The Center on Philanthropy