We want to know: How has the economy impacted your religious giving?
Rising rents and increasingly expensive grocery runs are straining budgets nationwide. But, how has the increased cost of living impacted religious giving in South Florida?
More than half of a million Miami-Dade County households are living paycheck to paycheck, and with that financial struggle comes sacrifice. People must decide what they can afford and how to prioritize spending to make ends meet.
At the same time, religion is slowly on the upswing. Studies have shown that the shift toward a more secular society has slowed. People are returning to the pews, and religion’s influence in everyday life and politics is becoming more prevalent.
Houses of worship — some that have been religious homes in Miami for decades — are also having to make changes. Some are being forced to close or merge with other houses of worship. Some churches are finding new ways to pay the bills after years of financial hardship, while others are growing and thriving. For most religious institutions, their financial health relies heavily on donations and giving from the faithful.
In a time when life is becoming increasingly unaffordable and people are struggling to make ends meet, the Miami Herald wants to know what’s impacting your decision to donate to religious institutions. Take our survey and your experience will help inform the Miami Herald’s reporting on the economics of tithing in South Florida.
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This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and donors in South Florida’s Jewish and Muslim communities, including Khalid and Diana Mirza and the Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
