By Mike Rawlings, William T. Solomon and Robert T. Rowling
As Dallas grows, the need for individual giving is greater than it has been in recent memory. And we’re happy to say our community is embracing that simple idea in a big way.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently ranked Dallas-Fort Worth as the eighth most generous metro area in the U.S. when it comes to charitable giving as a percentage of income, putting us ahead of Houston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston.
Our charitable giving is up 4.6 percent since the last Chronicle report. But as our population and needs continue to increase, the need for support and giving goes up, not down.
Long before Dallas Mayor Erik Jonsson said “Dream no small dreams,” we were already dreaming big. Dallas couldn’t and didn’t become a world-class city until generous citizens decided to step up for the greater good of the community.
Seventy five years ago, before Dallas had even hit a population of 300,000, local leaders clearly saw the need for philanthropic help to fund the growing demands for medical care. Enter Dr. Edward Cary and Karl Hoblitzelle, two visionary philanthropists who rallied our citizens in support of the highest quality health care and formed Southwestern Medical Foundation in 1939. Read more
