July 28, 2009
Popularity of Volunteerism Remains Steady, Study Finds
By Caroline Preston
Washington
The number of Americans who volunteer held steady last year, defying expectations that the rising unemployment and foreclosure rates could cut into civic participation, according to a new report.
The report released today by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that 26.4 percent of Americans, or 61.8 million people, volunteered through a nonprofit group last year. That figure was about 1 million more than in 2007.
Altogether, Americans donated approximately 8 billion hours of service, worth an estimated $162-billion.
But while the number of people involved in organized volunteerism stayed relatively constant, there was a big jump in participation in less-formal ways of serving, the report says.
The number of Americans who helped neighbors fix a problem rose by 31 percent, to 19.9 million.
“This report suggests that Americans are responding to the hardship around them by reaching out in service to others, giving their time when they cannot give their money,” said Michelle Obama, the first lady, in a press release. “It reminds us of the generosity of the American spirit, and challenges us to work harder to make service part of the daily life of America.”
8.2 Million Youths
The report, which was based on annual surveys of roughly 100,000 individuals collected by the U.S. Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, found that more young people were getting involved in service.
The number of Americans between the ages of 16 and 24 who volunteered increased from 7.8 million to 8.2 million.
Nonprofit groups, meanwhile, are increasingly in need of volunteers as demand for their services rises.
In a survey by the Johns Hopkins University, supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service, 37 percent of charities reported relying on more volunteers between September and March than they had in the past.
Forty-eight percent, meanwhile, predict they will increase their use of volunteers this year.
Other findings from the study are collected on the Web site Volunteering in America.
They include:
- More than a third (35.9 percent) of Americans who volunteered last year did so through a religious organization.
- For the fourth year in a row, Utah had a higher volunteerism rate (43.5 percent) than other states. Nebraska and Minnesota rounded out the top three.
- More people volunteered in Minneapolis-St. Paul (38.4 percent) than in other large cities, followed by Portland and Salt Lake City.
- Residents of midsize cities, particularly those in the Midwest, were more likely to volunteer than people in big cities.
- Volunteering was more popular in Provo, Utah, than in any other midsize city, with 62.9 percent of residents volunteering.
- Women were more likely than men to volunteer, with working mothers volunteering at the highest rates. But men were more likely to participate in less-structured volunteering activities.
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“…defying expectations that the rising unemployment and foreclosure rates could cut into civic participation…”
As a volunteer coordinator, I’d suggest that unemployment actually positively impacts volunteering. People want to build skills, explore a new career, add to their resume, and get out of the house. People have time on their hands – and it looks good on a resume when you use that free time toward doing something good and possibly skill-enhancing. Sure one theoretically should be spending hours and hours writing cover letters and resumes and “networking.” That starts to wear on a person – the rejection, the headlines about lay-offs and how bad the economy is.
And if one aims to work at a nonprofit, there’s no better way to get your foot in the door than as a volunteer. And it serves to create a new network of people who could refer you to an open position.
— Marissa Pherson Jul 28, 06:28 PM #
It’s interesting that the study quantifies the dollar amount of volunteering at $162 billion or $20 per hour. As a consultant providing services to nonprofits, I have donated thousands of hours of services to nonprofits, and I am sure other consultants have shared their expertise and provided deliverables at no cost as well.
The real untold story is the billions that are being donated by consultants without pay and without a tax deduction. If are going to ask for service from Americans (including the consultants who make thier living by helping nonprofits), we need to ensure that that can provide for themselves while supporting the health of the nonprofit sector.
It’s time to recognize the contributions of professionals to the nonprofit sector. Does anyone know of a study or organization that can quantify this value?
Is anyone in favor of changing the tax code to provide tax deductions for pro bono services by consultants to nonprofits?
Read more about the Deduct It Campaign:
http://deductit.wordpress.com/
— Howard Levy, blog.redroostergroup.com Aug 3, 11:43 PM #