How often D.C.-area residents volunteer
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Washingtonians have a history of volunteering at a higher rate than Americans at large — aka, here in the DMV, we put the "giving" in "Thanksgiving."
State of play: 35.8% of District residents volunteered through a formal organization at least once between September 2022-23, per a new AmeriCorps report based on census data.
- The national rate: 28.3%.
- Maryland (32.8%) and Virginia (31.6%) clock in higher, too.
Zoom in: If you want to continue our hot streak, The Washington Post has a list of ways locals can give back this holiday season.
- And don't forget: Giving Tuesday is next week.
Zoom out: The national rate is up 5 percentage points from 2021, when the pandemic disrupted almost all facets of American life — volunteer work included.
- AmeriCorps' report also found a rise in the share of people who informally helped their neighbors, with more than 54% 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.
The bottom line: Despite our increasing reluctance to talk about big issues, the findings paint a broad picture of "renewed engagement in American civic life," as the report puts it.