perceptions on generosity

Soon I will be traveling to South Dakota to a reservation to serve the Lakota community. I was told the children were hungry so I put the word out to friends, family and clients for donations. I want to thank each and every one of you who gave small and large to the cause.
Thank you so very much. It will be used as wisely as possible to spread as far as possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

This may sound like a judgment, I am sorry, I do not mean it as such; it is really an observation and query into the heart of it all.

I have found it a very interesting study on generosity. I have to say I was quite surprised. It is just my perception and I do not have all the facts. I most certainly do not know what the thoughts of a person are that leads them to choose am amount to give!

It appears to me those who seems to have it to give...by that I mean they have high paying jobs and big houses in clean, safe suburbs, all the new electronics and full pantries...must think they do not, because they have given the smallest amounts. Amounts much smaller than they spend on a meal at a restaurant, or a tank of gas in their shiny SUVs. While one friend who is living in an efficiency apt with her 14 yr old grandson and barely making ends meet has given a huge sum of money; what I would guess to be half her rent and utilities combined! How can she do that? She does it without hesitation and without regret.

I do not understand it, I am willing to be schooled.
Is it that the poor know what it means to have nothing? They understand hunger and children who have only a few toys?
Is my perception incorrect about those who seem to have? Do they really not have and are up to their eyeballs in debt instead?
Maybe if their donation was recorded in a way they could claim it on taxes it would be larger?

I imagine there are many studies that show the how and why of it all.I will have to research it, maybe then I will understand.

Which is the advice I would give to those who did not give a monetary donation but instead gave this statement, "the government gives those people everything they need."