The common assumption is that charitable giving trends parallel economic activity. But given the year that was, it's a good thing this wasn't the case for 2011. Giving nationwide rose 7.5 percent in 2011 compared to 2010, a new Atlas of Giving report says. What's more, charity outpaced economic growth in 2011, which climbed just 1.7 percent, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/03/charity-outpaced-economic-growth_n_1252361.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003