Hongkongers have been especially generous in donating to charity this year, as the Sichuan earthquake helped raise the contribution average per donator to about HK$2,500, a new survey indicates.

But non-governmental organizations fear a sharp decline in donations in the coming year due to the economic downturn, and some are urging the government to match donations and raise the ceiling for tax exemptions on donations.

For the second-straight year, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service commissioned the Public Opinion Programme at the University of Hong Kong to conduct a survey of people's donation behavior. More than 1,000 people were interviewed by phone in August.

As revealed, the number of people who had donated money to charitable organizations over the past 12 months rose significantly from 77 percent a year earlier to 90 percent. And 62 percent donated to help Sichuan earthquake victims or the province's reconstruction.

In monetary terms, the average donation also increased sharply, from HK$1,620 to HK$2,569 per person, according to survey director Robert Chung, who spoke at a press conference yesterday.

Christine Fang, chief executive officer of the social service council, said people were very generous in donating to the Sichuan victims and local charities.

But as corporate and personal incomes shrunk as a result of financial tsunami, she predicted the average donation next year falling below HK$1,500.

She also predicted that the need for emotional counseling, employment and family-crisis services will increase as a result of the financial downturn, but many of those services aren't subvented by the government.

Fang called on able people and enterprises to continue donating generously, and for the government to match funds.

(HK Edition 11/28/2008 page1)