In 2021, Germans donated a total of 5.8 billion euros - a record amount since the survey began in 2005. This was announced by the German Donations Council on Thursday in its "Balance sheet of helping 2021".

In 2021, the Germans donated 7 percent more money than in the already strong previous year.

Basically, the willingness to donate has increased significantly in 2021, according to a spokeswoman for the council.

Accordingly, the number of donors has increased for the first time in years, with many younger donors in particular.

However, the most important donor group remains the 70+ age group, where people donate the highest amounts.

The willingness to donate was particularly high after the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley.

Overall, 30 percent of the German population gave money for charitable purposes.

A strong value, but there is still "room for improvement", as Bianca Corcoran emphasized in the press conference.

Nevertheless, 2021 remains a record year for the donation associations.

Due to the great willingness to donate in relation to Ukraine, the Council already assesses the figures for 2022 as quite positive.

As the "Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft" and the "Aktion Deutschland Hilft" reported, the Germans have already donated more than 47 million euros to the Ukraine.

From last Thursday to Tuesday alone, the organization has already collected 36 million euros.

The "Aktion Deutschland Hilft" recorded an additional 11.4 million euros.

"The willingness to donate and solidarity from Germany is still overwhelming," said a spokeswoman.

"When in doubt, always prefer monetary donations"

In addition to the alliance organizations, there are numerous private collections and collections of individual aid organizations.

The German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI) provides information that should be considered when making a selection.

For example, it recommends monetary donations instead of material donations and awards organizations with the "DZI donation seal" to emphasize their eligibility for funding.

The German Donations Council also advises monetary donations, as these could be used more quickly and flexibly.

Too many donations in kind or helpers on site would be difficult to manage in the border areas logistically alone.

"When in doubt, always prefer monetary donations," says Max Mälzer from the German Donations Council.

On the other hand, donations in kind are more appropriate at the local level.

Especially because of the many refugees who are currently looking for protection in Germany, there are many positions that need them.

So if you want to pass on donations in kind, you should first inquire about possibilities in your area.