Volunteering's biggest secret

Really, you just have to ask.

These two things are indisputable, iron-clad, set-in-stone-on-a-mountaintop-facts.

Volunteering is good for your community. Volunteering is good for you.

So why don’t we volunteer more?

In the U.S., fewer people volunteer than they did about a decade ago, and they spend less time volunteering. It’s not a huge dip – 30% of people in 2017 to 28% in 2023 – and it’s up from a major decrease during 2020-21 spurred by COVID-19. The total hours drop is steeper; the average volunteer donated 96.5 hours in 2017, and only 70 in 2023. 

But we know that people who volunteer tend to feel less isolated, and be less depressed. We know that they have stronger connections with neighbors and co-workers that lead to richer personal and professional lives. And we know that they feel better about the places they live. 

So why don’t we volunteer more?

Well, you say, life is busy! Between running the kids to daycare and school, work hours that increasingly intrude on home life, and tasks like cleaning the gutters (a chore that the author of this article definitely didn’t put off until the verge of a Hoover-type damming this spring), it’s hard to find free time. And when you’ve got it, there’s books to read, Netflix to watch, trails to hike, and peace and quiet to find. 

Companies know this. That’s why more and more businesses are offering paid volunteer time to employees. It’s a great perk for employees, and it creates the type of team-building experience that bolsters productivity and cooperation. 

So why don’t we volunteer more?

There is one big reason. A really big reason. A reason so big, it’s almost silent. 

Most people are never asked. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesnonprofitcouncil/2024/03/29/the-d…

The number one reason that people don’t volunteer is because they’re never asked. 

At United Way of Yellowstone County, we try to ask; we ask in emails, snail mails, social media posts, business luncheons, event tables, and more. 

But the best way to ask is to ask someone that you already know. 

So, if you value a strong community; if you value feeling connected to your neighbors; if you value feeling good about yourself and good about Yellowstone County – please ask someone. 

You can find a host of volunteer opportunities at youcanvolunteer.org, our volunteer portal. We have our biggest volunteering day of the year, Day of Action, coming up on June 26 at ZooMontana. We can customize volunteer events for businesses and groups, and find unique opportunities for individuals. 

At UWYC, we believe in the power of volunteering. We hope that you do too.