Why do they give? Donors speak about what moves them and how they plan end-of-year donations

By THALIA BEATY
Associated Press

What motivates people to donate to charities or causes they care about is often deeply personal. Donors name relatives or friends who have survived or died from illnesses. They recount tearful conversations with their children. They point to their aspirations for how their communities and the larger world could be improved. In advance of GivingTuesday, The Associated Press interviewed people from across the country with a variety of life experiences about why they give. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, GivingTuesday, started in 2012 as a hashtag and it has become a central part of nonprofit fundraising.