Philanthropy is often associated with wealthy people giving large amounts of money to charitable organizations and indirectly to people they don't personally know. Ethnic philanthropy is almost totally different: it consists primarily of people sharing modest wealth with other people, most of whom the givers know well. Communities of color are often portrayed as takers rather than givers, significantly less generous than white Americans. From interviews with 260 individuals conducted in six languages, "Ethnic Philanthropy" describes the specific practices and customs of giving money, goods, and services within the Mexican, Guatemalan, Salvadoran, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and African American communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.The study suggests that the amount (relative to personal resources) of minority giving may be roughly consistent with that of white America, but the forms and beneficiaries of minority giving may be quite different. The research reported in this book found that respondents in all eight minority groups were more likely to speak of giving to or helping needy individuals, families, and informal groups rather than organizations. Most of the sharing and giving reported by respondents in this study was personal and informal; only a small part was directed toward mainstream charitable organizations, the subject of most philanthropic research in the United States.A major finding of the study is that knowledge of people's ethnicity does not predict the proportion of their total yearly household expenditures or the total number of hours a year they give outside the nuclear family. However, knowledge of people's ethnicity does help to predict the forms and beneficiaries of giving and volunteering outside the nuclear family. This study shows a rich history of the giving of time, talent, and treasures still being practiced within these eight ethnic communities. This title is from the "Philanthropic Studies Series".