Volunteerism Rising Even in Slumping Economy

Tonic.com, July 2010

During times of economic hardship, more Americans set out to lend a helping hand.

Instead of turning off the outside world when life gets tough, Americans are reaching beyond themselves. According to a report by the Corporation for National and Community Service, last year rates soared. The jump between 2008 and 2009 marked the highest rate of increase the country has seen since the early 2000's.

The Volunteering in America report showed that 63.4 million people volunteered their time and skills in 2009, offering more than 8.1 billion hours of their lives.

“Americans have responded to tough economic times by volunteering in big numbers,” said Patrick Corvington, the Corporation's CEO in a press release. “What we're seeing is the depth of the American spirit and generosity at its best. People are turning toward problems, working with their neighbors to find solutions to real problems, from homelessness to the dropout crisis.”

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