Need For Volunteers Continue To Increase

In the past five years, America has gained one million additional volunteers, and even more are needed as the economy slows, a new report shows.

“Volunteering in America” is the most comprehensive research on U.S. volunteering ever assembled. The report from the Corporation for National and Community Service was released in partnership with the USA Freedom Corps at the White House. The report shows volunteering is strong and poised for growth, as momentum for service grows across the sectors and the need for volunteers is heightened by the economic downturn.

Nearly 61 million Americans volunteered in their communities in 2007 and gave 8.1 billion hours of service worth more than $158 billion, the report notes.

Baby Boomers will double the number of older American volunteers in the coming decades and young people are volunteering at higher rates than the last generation. “We have an unprecedented opportunity to seize this moment and usher in a new era of service in America,” said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “By giving us a look under the hood of U.S. volunteering, this research shows what we need to do to recruit and retain tomorrow’s volunteers.”