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The Latest on Volunteers
Posted by Carol Coletta on August 17, 2008 |
Apparently, a significant number of volunteers are not happy with their experience, with only 2 out of 3 volunteers in 2006 returning to volunteer in 2007. But the number of people who volunteer more than 100 hours is growing, now standing at 34 percent of all volunteers, the highest level since 2002.
Last year 60.8 million people, or about 26 percent of Americans ages 16 or older, volunteered for a nonprofit. (Political campaigns are excluded.) Women (29 percent) volunteer more than men (23 percent), and women with children volunteer more than those without. College towns are hotspots for volunteering.
One surprise: Busy people volunteer more. Those who don’t volunteer watch more TV.
No surprise: Religious causes attract the most volunteers (35.7 percent), with education in second place (26.7 percent) and social services in third place (13.3 percent).