Volunteerism: Life blood of the Nonprofit

Volunteers are the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations; they perform a myriad of tasks that need to be done. Jobs like processing paperwork, performing manual labor, teaching or tutoring, distributing literature, supervising clients (after school program) or other volunteers, administrative tasks, fund raising, securing venues for events, and advertising. There is always more work to be done, and not enough hands to finish it. Overall, volunteerism is down among all age and economic groups, and specifically among young people (Martha Irvine, Youth volunteering dips, first time since 9/11 Associated Press Financial Wire April 23, 2009, last accessed 11/08/2009), though the article did state that volunteerism has increased from previous generations.

The Nonprofit Times stated in a related article that more women than men volunteer (1/3 of women and 1/4 of men), with married couples volunteering more than  their single counterparts.The average time spent volunteering was 52 hours from September 2005 until September 2006, and that time was spent at one organization for most people. Baby boomers spend more time volunteering than the previous generation did at their age. Thirty-five percent of all volunteers give thier time to religious organizations, 26.4% of their time to youth/educational concerns, and 12.7 % to social and community service organizations.

Data from the  Census Bureau's Current Population Survey found that one in three teens, ages 16 to 18,  volunteered in 2005 and then dropped to 28% in 2007.  Project Sunshine, an organization founded by a college student in 1998, has more than 10,000 volunteers who visit hospitalized children. More than half of those are 22 or younger, and hundreds more have asked about volunteering in recent months, says executive director Beatrice Kernan. (Irvine)

Irvine goes on to say that many teens are not volunteering so that they can work or devote more time to studies. The current economy is forcing people to make a choice in how they mange their time.

Conversely, I found articles that asserted that more people are donating their time because the economy is floundering and they want to contribute to society. The Corporation for National and Community Service, a government corporation, asserts that volunteer numbers are up. This organization is responsible for the AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America programs. Alternative forms of community volunteering, such as attending a community meeting, up 17% or solving a community problem as group composed of neighbors, up 31%, are evidence of the increase. Utah has the highest rate of volunteers, at 43.5%. A John Hopkins Nonprofit Listening Post Project study cited on the site asserts that despite the economic downturn and increased demand for services, volunteers are holding steady or increasing as organizations strive to cut costs and still meet increasing need. Of course, an increase in the numbers of volunteers create an increase in the need for supervisors. Since NPOs are struggling to maintain staff hours, volunteers may have to be turned away.

Statistics aside, NPOs need volunteers to run. President Obama has challenged Americans to do their part and increase the rate of volunteerism and hours dedicated to volunteering across the country. Whether it is a community project, a research organization, a school-related activity, or just helping a neighbor, please consider giving your time and energy to a worthy cause. You will be happy you did.