Virginians are volunteering again
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Volunteering and informal helping are both rising after COVID-era dips, a new AmeriCorps report finds.
Why it matters: Volunteer work is a bedrock of American civic life: assisting those in need and providing purpose to those who can help.
Driving the news: Around 31.6% of Virginians volunteered through a formal organization at least once between September 2022-23, per the biennial report, which is based on survey data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau.
- That's up 4 percentage points from 2021 when the pandemic disrupted almost all facets of American life — volunteer work included.
- And it's a higher rate than the national average of 28.3%.
- The report also found a rise in the share of Virginians who informally helped their neighbors, with 57% saying they lent a hand to someone nearby.
Yes, but: The share of Americans who consume news and talk about social issues either in person or online has been steadily decreasing over the last few years, the report found.
- Around 68% of Virginians reported discussing issues with friends and family, down from 74% in 2021.
- They're even less likely to do so with neighbors; just 30% talk about politics and social issues with neighbors, down from 33% in 2021.
By the numbers: Nearly 2.2 million volunteers in Virginia contributed just over 156 million hours of service between September 2022 and 2023.
- 78% of Virginians had a conversation or spent time with their neighbors.
- 55% donated $25 or more to charity.
🫶 Zoom in: If you're looking to get in on the volunteering action and want to start now, here are a few ways you can help this week and beyond:
- Stock a community fridge, anytime or specifically this week to help someone who needs a Thanksgiving feast.
- Help the folks at The Doorways serve Thanksgiving dinner to their guests, or help with meals any other time. The downtown nonprofit provides housing for families that need to stay near VCU Health Hospital.
- Pitch in with The Giving Heart to serve the city's biggest community Thanksgiving feast at the Convention Center.
- Or search for other opportunities in town via VolunteerMatch.org or Community Foundation.
The bottom line: Volunteering and looking out for your friends and neighbors is back, baby. And that's something we can all be thankful for.