Madison has been ranked the most charitable city in the nation, according to Men's Health Magazine.

The distinction comes as no surprise to Ruth Ann Schoer, development director for the Salvation Army of Dane County, which kicks off its annual "Kettle Campaign" today.

Though the recession has hit charitable giving across the country, the Salvation Army in Madison saw its Christmas in July Kettle Campaign double its donations this year to $38,000.

The holiday campaign raised $610,000 last year, up from $577,000 in 2007, despite last fall's economic woes. Last year there were also more bell ringers manning kettles than ever before - 2,679 who volunteered for 5,824 out of 12,000 shifts.

And as of Wednesday, the Salvation Army had signed up 786 more shifts than last year at the same time.

Schoer sees the surge in giving as the recession bringing out the best in people who aren't used to neighbors, friends and relatives losing their jobs.

"In the past years, it didn't really touch you or me or people we knew," Schoer said. "We all have a loved one now who we care about who is getting hit. That hasn't happened to us in recent history."

The Kettle Campaign officially runs from Friday through Christmas Eve with a goal of raising $627,000. The money helps fund the Salvation Army's charitable activities such as distributing food and toys to 3,250 Dane County families or for its homeless shelter, which served more than three times as many shelter beds last year than it did in 2007.

Men's Health's ratings were based on how much a city's residents gave in online contributions during the holiday season, to Goodwill Industries International in December, to the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign, and to the Marine Toys for Tots program.

According to the magazine, Madison was the only city to receive an A-plus for its charitable spirit. The other top 10 cities earned an A or A-minus. Milwaukee ranked 46th with a C-plus.

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