Erika Elaine Wells

COMMUNITY SERVICE BEAT (RICHMOND, VA)

This page contains elements created for a beat assignment for a summer graduate course. The multimedia project covers community service news, events and updates in Richmond, Va. Be sure to follow on Twitter and “Like” on Facebook! *NOTE: The stories were produced in a short amount of time (less than 8 weeks) under tight deadlines and limited resources.

HandsOn Greater Richmond is non-profit organization based in Richmond, Va. that connects the community and corporate groups with opportunities to get involved in meaningful volunteer opportunities in Richmond and the surrounding areas. HandsOn Greater Richmond, whose staff also engages in community service projects, welcomes volunteers of all ages. Take a look at a Vuvox presentation of how HandsOn Greater Richmond helps others give back to the community.

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Louis Jones, of Chesterfield, Va., fights hunger and deals with the tough economy by volunteering at least three days a week at the Refuge Food Pantry at Victory Tabernacle Church of God in Midlothian, Va. Jones picks up food from local grocery stores and delivers the products to the church for distribution to the community each week.

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Americans respond to tough economy by volunteering

Report shows drastic increase in volunteering in 2009, especially among women, working mothers

By Erika Wells

Americans, especially women and working mothers, have turned the economic crisis into an opportunity to offer service in the nation.

Between September 2008 and September 2009, the nation experienced the biggest single-year increase in volunteering since 2003, according to Volunteering in America, a report released by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a U.S. government effort, in June.

Agencies such as the Office on Volunteerism and Community Service at the Virginia Department of Social Services, in Richmond, Va., have contributed to volunteer efforts by connecting members of the community with service organizations and volunteer opportunities.

There are different reasons why people volunteer more despite the tough economy, said Nikki Nicholau, the director for the Office on Volunteerism and Community Service.

“Folks who are impacted want to do something productive with their time, so they volunteer,” Nicholau said. “Others know someone who has been laid off or have had their hours cut at work. We all realize that we could be similarly impacted.”

The number of Americans volunteering in communities rose by 1.6 million during the most severe economic crisis since World War II, according to the report. The highest volunteer rates were among women at 30.1 percent, from 29.4 percent in 2008.

Specifically, volunteers rates jumped for women ages 45-54, married women, individuals who were employed and individuals working full time. (View overview chart below or see full data set)

During the time, 63.4 million Americans spent 8.1 billion hours of service, worth about 169 billion dollars, according to the report.

In Virginia, 225.3 million hours of volunteer service translates into $4.7 billion of service contributed, Nicholau said.

“As the numbers indicate, volunteer hours can be translated into real dollars and cents,” Nicholau said. “If agencies using volunteers to serve their clients had to pay for those services provided by volunteers, they would not be able to meet the increasing demand for food, rental assistance and other types of support.”

Nicholau oversees operations at the OVCS, which serves the community by working with Virginia Corps, the Volunteer Center Network of Virginia and the Governor’s Advisory Board on National and Community Service and helping promote national service days such as Martin Luther King Day and the National Day of Remembrance and Service (September 11). The office also collaborates with faith-based and community organizations for the Virginia Department of Social Services.

“It is a pleasure to work with the Volunteer Centers throughout Virginia, who do a tremendous job connecting those wanting to serve with the organizations needing volunteersm,” Nicholau said.

However, it is difficult to predict how volunteer rates will change in future in Virginia, Nicholau said.

“I would hope that the rate of volunteering continues to rise – not to make Virginia look better – but because I believe you personally so much out of volunteering,” said Nicholau. “Whenever I participate in a service opportunity, I know how good it makes me feel inside. I want everyone to have the benefit of that feeling.”

Virginia has a volunteer rate of 28 percent and ranks about halfway down the list of states in comparison of national volunteer rates, according to the report.

“My goal is to see Virginia in the top third at a minimum in the upcoming years,” Nicholau said. “With the wave of baby boomers getting ready to retire, we should continue to see increases from this segment of the population.”

About the data

The report includes the most comprehensive information such as trends and demographics by region, city and state on volunteering in the 50 states (including D.C.) and 200 cities, released on the Volunteering in America website. The website also features resources for members of the community as well as information such as volunteer management and volunteer retention for non-profit organizations and governments.

Volunteers are defined as “individuals ages 16 and over who perform unpaid volunteer activities for or through an organization,” according to the Corporation, a federal agency that connects more than five million Americans to community service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America programs.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, the Bureau for Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau work together to collect volunteering data annually through the Current Population Survey’s (CPS) Supplement on Volunteering.

The U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted a monthly CPS survey of approximately 60,000 households (approximately 100,000 adults) from 198 cities, including 51 large cities, 75 mid-size cities, and 72 additional cities, based on Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

In addition, Utah had the top volunteer rate of 44.2%, followed by Iowa – climbing from the 5th position from the previous year (37.8%), Minnesota (37.5%), Nebraska (37.4%), and Alaska (37.3%). (View graphic below or see data)

Furthermore, volunteer rates increased among all races and ethnic groups, but the volunteer rate for African Americans increased the most, especially for African American women. (See data)

Connecting women to community service

Organizations such as WomenOnCall.Org allow women from all backgrounds across the country to get involved in the community while sharing professional skills with non-profit organizations.

WomenOnCall.Org is a free online network that connects women with short, high impact on-site and virtual volunteer opportunities. Volunteers and non-profit organizations register on the website by setting up profiles, and WomenOnCall.Org matches volunteers and non-profits by sending alerts.

The Chicago-based organization was developed in 2005, when Margot Pritzker, known for her philanthropic work in the region and extensive community service background, saw a need for non-profit to use the skills of professional women for short-term assignments, said Jessica Thunberg, a media contact for WomenOnCall.Org.

“Making these connections is such an important part of helping the non-profit world grow,” Thunberg said. “We don’t exclude men, but WomenOnCall.Org is really targeted at busy, professional women. Margot thought of this as a really unique niche of women who are looking for opportunity to give back in between juggling life and work.”

Short-term commitments are ideal for working women who want to volunteer, but do not have the time, especially in tough economy, Thunberg said.

“This is perfect for a professional woman who wants to volunteer, may not have time to spend hours at a soup kitchen, but could write a new release for an organization while waiting for a flight at the airport,” Thurberg said.

WomenOnCall.org also offers opportunities for women who are retired, laid off or stay-at-home moms who would like to sharpen professional skills or add experience to resumes.

In addition, the national organization, which was recently featured in the monthly woman’s magazine Marie Claire, also features a yearly two-hour “speed-dating” event in which non-profits meet with volunteers in person to network in a “meet-and-match” setup.

“This past year, and the year before, our numbers have really increased,” Thunberg said. “I think this is because women are really using this as an opportunity in between jobs to stay active or starting new jobs to sharpen skills.”

WomenOnCall.Org, started in Chicago and recently expanded to South Carolina and Wisconsin, encourages “virtual volunteering,” such as web design or strategy development for non-profits, Thurnberg said.

“Women have a lot to offer, and WomenOnCall.Org exposes them to a lot of non-profits that they may not have heard of before, “Thunberg said. “Women really are looking for ways to be fulfilled completely, and giving back is one way they do it.”

Setting aside time to volunteer

Charlette Dugger, of Midlothian, Va., juggles motherhood, being a wife and other daily duties such as running a childcare business and doing taxes part time while volunteering each week for the Refuge Food Pantry at Victory Tabernacle Church of God in Chesterfield County, Va., where Dugger attends church services.

Each week, the food pantry coordinator finds volunteers, picks up food from local grocery stores and the Central Virginia Food Bank and then helps distribute the food to members of the community. Dugger also does administrative tasks such as producing reports for organizations that donate food.

“Growing up, I always wanted to do something to help people out, even as a teenager,” Dugger said. “I still enjoy it, even though it gets difficult at times.”

Managing volunteers has been a challenge, but she had learned to work with people with different personalities, Dugger said.

“You cannot treat volunteers like employees,” Dugger said. “You have to be very flexible in learning how to figure things out. However, I do have pretty stable volunteers, who have been here quite some time. Still, we need more men to help pick up food. We can always use that extra strength and energy.”

The food pantry is open during the daytime, which fits into Dugger’s schedule. Dugger encourages people to get involved in volunteer opportunities that fit their lifestyle.

“When I get frustrated, I stop and think about how many people I’m helping,” Dugger said. “Find something that touches your heart– whether it distributing food, working with animals or spending time with the elderly – even if it’s only a few hours a week, every little bit counts.”

Expanding local community service efforts

AmeriCorps, a U.S. federal program under the Corporation for National and Community Service, has also contributed to the increase in volunteer rates with its divisions on the national and state level. The program connects individuals of different backgrounds with volunteer projects.

United States citizens interested in joining can choose a program including AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps VISTA and AmeriCorps NCCC and apply for a position, which may offer incentives such as education grants.

As part of AmeriCorps, Embrace Richmond is a faith-based charitable organization that helps families and individuals in Richmond area who are experiencing a housing crisis achieve and sustain self-sufficiency.

“Our organization stands out because we use indigenous leaders from the community to help make the community a better place,” said Joe Torrence, associate director of Embrace Richmond. “We take residents who live in the various housing projects in the city of Richmond, and they are essentially our team of worker bees.”

Founded in 2005, Embrace Richmond provides services such as home starter packages for individuals and families exiting local shelters, employment services including job placement and training, educational and volunteer opportunities towards community development, and access to a community-based support network for those who are transitioning out of homelessness.

So far, the economic downturn has not drastically increased the amount of people that the organization serves, Torrence said.

“We have been steady all along,” Torrence said. “For the folks we work with, unemployment has always been an issue. This is not new ground for a lot of our friends.”

Currently, Embrace Richmond has transitioned from focusing on the furniture bank to primarily working on bringing resources to the community.

“What makes us unique is that we really go out and develop relationships with the community,” Torrence said. “We function as a bridge to resources. We try to plug folks into what is already going on in the community.”

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A.S.S.I.S.T. Student Athletes, a Richmond-based non-profit organization held a car wash for donations to raise money toward scholarships for local student athletes. View a slide show presentation to find out more about the day’s events.