A recent study by Volunteering in America shows that volunteerism in the United States is still going strong. The article’s title indicates that volunteerism “remains steady”; personally, I think that’s an understatement. Nearly one million more Americans began volunteering last year, and as a result, our volunteer force now makes up over a quarter of the national population.
Ok, I hope I didn’t lose you by starting this post with the words, “A recent study shows…” However, being a recent graduate and a lover of research and data, I find this kind of stuff exciting. And being an avid volunteer myself, I love that more and more folks are joining the ranks. I have been particularly interested in the effects the recession would have on volunteering. I thought the numbers would increase mostly because people had more time on their hands. That may be part of it, but in a strange way, I think the current economic situation is making us more socially connected with one another.
An example: LaunchPad is an Austin nonprofit that serves not only as a job club, but also as a place to make friends. The focus on relationships is central to their mission. People within the club form small groups to hold each other accountable and to provide encouragement during the search process. And guess what? The organization is run almost entirely by volunteers, from posting jobs to programming to grantwriting.
Another example: I stopped into Ten Thousand Villages last week. I’m a longtime volunteer at the store (almost 3 years anyway, am I officially “longtime” now?), but my mission on this day was to shop. While looking around, I was chatting with Polly, the volunteer coordinator, about an upcoming volunteer project. We’re having new floors put in at the store, which requires packing our belongings, moving out, and then moving back in and unpacking two days later. We were tossing around ideas about where to post volunteer opportunities. During our short conversation, two separate customers politely interrupted to ask what we were talking about, and how could they help? And just like that, we’ve got two new volunteers on board to help us move. Yes, they’re helping us move! Few people actually enjoy that activity, but people do enjoy being part of something meaningful.
Fortunately, finding my volunteer niche was pretty easy after moving to Austin. I can’t take all the credit. If I may toot Austin’s horn, it’s number 10 for volunteering in the country. If you are still searching, don’t fret. There are countless ways to serve. You can start with what you know and love, or try something altogether different. If you’re looking for volunteer opportunities, or if you’re part of an organization that needs volunteers, leave us a comment!
Filed under: Economy, Volunteerism | Tagged: Austin, LaunchPad, moving, recession, Ten Thousand Villages, Volunteering in America
Greenlights
Tara Kirkland
Ann Starr
Kim Wilson
Tara Levy
Matt Kouri
Taylor Overstreet
Haila Yates
Are you aware of volunteer opps where an accompanying child (18 months) would be ok to bring along. These two things may not go together but I thought i’d see if you had any thoughts.
Hi Ann, thanks for reading! A couple of ideas for you… I don’t know of anything specific, but you might try contacting Hands On Central Texas, the volunteer arm of the Capital Area United Way. They’re a great resource and may know of something. Something else, some organizations might offer day care services for clients, and if you find an organization where you would like to volunteer, perhaps you could bring your child along and be on site together. If you find a great opportunity that works for you, please let us know!