Coloradans are volunteering again
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Open embedded content from datawrapper.dwcdn.netOrganized volunteering and informal helping are both rising after COVID-era dips, a new AmeriCorps report finds.
Zoom in: 34.7% of Coloradans volunteered through a formal organization at least once between September 2022-23, per the biennial report based on survey data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau.
- The state netted an 8.5-point rise in volunteering between 2021 and 2023, though the latest figure is far below the 2019 rate (42.2%).
Why it matters: Volunteer work is a bedrock of American civic life: assisting those in need and providing purpose to those who can help.
What they're saying: "When people go out and volunteer ... they see themselves [as] part of this larger community," Katy Walton, vice president of volunteer and community engagement at Mile High United Way, tells us.
- The nonprofit focuses on providing low- to middle-income families with support including an early-learning center, a program for young people leaving foster care, and free tax preparation services.
The big picture: Colorado's rate is slightly higher than the U.S. overall rate of 28.3%.
- That's up 5 percentage points from 2021, when the pandemic disrupted almost all facets of American life — volunteer work included.
The intrigue: The report also found a rise in the share of Americans who informally helped their neighbors, with more than 54% saying they lent a hand to someone nearby.
The bottom line: The findings paint a broad picture of "renewed engagement in American civic life," as the report puts it.
💭 Esteban's thought bubble: This year, I committed to volunteering on Thanksgiving, something I've long told myself I would do.
- I'm excited — and a little nervous — to spend some time helping with Mile High United Way's Turkey Trot in Denver, which takes place Thursday.