What would you do if, during the middle of a pandemic, you received a check for $1400? Would you spend it on yourself? Or, knowing that others were less fortunate than you and more in need of stimulus money, would you share it?

This is the choice that Louisville man Lawrence Hoffmann faced earlier in April, when he received the most recent stimulus check put out by the Biden administration.

Instead of cashing it, Hoffmann donated his to local food banks and soup kitchens – comparing the current crisis to the donation drives of the Second World War, a time he experienced as a child. He suggested that other Americans do the same, in a letter he wrote to the Canton Repository, an Ohio newspaper. “When I realized I could survive without the $1,400 stimulus money, I decided that I needed to give it to those who are having trouble eating, feeding their families, or paying their utilities. So I gave it to organizations that help those in need.”

It is unclear how many people will follow Hoffmann in doing this. But there has been recent data collected that suggests he might have company. One of the most interesting side effects of the pandemic has been an increase in philanthropy; as neighbors have seen each other in trouble, the amount of charity given has trended steadily upward throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

This has been confirmed by multiple independent sources. According to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, charity increased by 7.5% in 2020 over 2019 – a counterintuitive result, considering the economic crisis that came alongside the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute each arrived as similar conclusions. In a report, they stated that charitable giving increased by 12% in Q2 2020 – up 18% from Q2 2019. These groups also found that, of donations of more than $250

And the Blackbaud Institute, which tracks more than eight thousand charities, reported that online fundraising for its groups had increased by fully one-fourth during 2020.

“Now,” Hoffmann continued, “I challenge you who have enough to eat and keep warm to give some or all of the stimulus gift to your favorite or nearest food bank, soup kitchen or similar charity to aid those of us who are struggling. This is one of the best ways to stimulate our economy. God so blessed you so that you will be able to help others.”

Trevor Filseth is a news reporter and writer for the National Interest.