Why giving matters, even for federal accounts

Generosity is shocking.

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Especially when it's to strangers.That was my first thought upon hearing of the Dell family donation of $6.25 billion to fund Trump Accounts. I had other thoughts too. We'll get to those. But let's start with generosity, because we don't see enough of it anymore.

The person who slips a five-dollar bill to the cashier to pay for the coffee for the person behind her. The person who remembers that the parking garage assistant could use an anonymous tip, too. A home-cooked meal on the doorstep of an elderly neighbour, according to the Tribune News Service.

It rallies the spirits — for the giver, receiver and those of us watching. It gives a sense that we're all in this together. We lose something when giving becomes rare.

Although Giving Tuesday hit a record amount and more people participated than in 2024, the share of Americans donating to charity largely has been trending downward for the last two decades. These days, less than half of Americans give away so much as a dime.