Desiree Koh
Ketchum
(312) 228-6836

For Immediate Release

Spirit of Volunteerism: Nearly 9 of 10 Community-Minded Americans Report Their Zeal to Help Has Climbed or Stayed Constant Since 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

Lions Clubs International survey finds 54% of Americans have volunteered in past three years

Chicago, April 19, 2004 - Who says the spirit of volunteerism is dying? A decades-long slide in Americans' social activism appears to be ending, suggests a Lions Clubs International survey of 1,000 Americans.

In the survey, 54 percent of respondents say they have volunteered in the past three years. And nearly nine of 10 volunteers (88 percent) report their desire to help has increased or remained constant since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C. and near Pittsburgh.

The study indicates American volunteers believe that their unpaid assistance drives community connections and that cause-related social networks are personally satisfying and rewarding. Ninety-eight percent of volunteers contend it's important to contribute their time to a good cause while 90 percent enjoy the "connectedness," or sense of belonging, they feel when participating in an effort to make positive change.

In Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (1999), author Robert Putnam chronicled the growing social alienation over the past four decades. But in his latest book, Better Together: Restoring the American Community (2003), the Harvard University professor of public policy along with co-author Lewis Feldstein cite innovative instances of activism, 21st Century style. And in many realms, new forms of community-minded social networks are increasingly apparent. The Internet has triggered hundreds of philanthropic, volunteerism, and social networks that facilitate positive change. Even the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean spurred the formation of a social network.

"Volunteering as part of an organized effort appears to be increasing in relevance to a greater number of people in today's world," says Dane La Joye, division manager for Lions Clubs International, the world's largest service club organization. "Volunteers want to improve their communities, and they receive something valuable in return: a sense of connectedness with others who share a similar vision."

Julie Aguirra, a Chicago professional, and volunteer says her hands-on work with her Lions club has reaped many benefits. "It helps me achieve a balance between my career and family as well as between private life and civic activism. In many ways, nurturing my community is as significant as nurturing my family."

Key findings of the LCI survey include:

Who Believes in Volunteerism - And Actually Does It

• Fifty-four percent of survey respondents said they volunteered within the past three years by donating their time to a charitable, civic or community cause.
• Of those who volunteer, 98 percent say it's important to contribute to a cause through volunteering.
• Among all volunteers, 45 percent are defined as "active" - donating more than 10 hours a month, on average. Forty percent belong to a service club.
• Women (58 percent) are more likely than men (49 percent) to have volunteered in the past three years.

Benefits Volunteers Reap

• Ninety percent of volunteers say they enjoy the sense of belonging, or connectedness, to a community when they donate their time.
• Eighty-five percent of volunteers agree that community work provides a meaningful structure to their lives.
• Individuals who volunteer believe their efforts help them expand their networking and provide skill-building opportunities.  One in 10 has found a job through volunteering.
• Volunteers ages 18 to 30 - a vast majority of whom are professionals - say volunteering helps them meet people and even potential spouses, as well as advance their career opportunities.

Learning About Volunteer Opportunities

• A link exists between those who volunteer frequently and the age they are first introduced to volunteering. Fifty-six percent of all volunteers were introduced to community service as children, and nearly half of volunteers have been doing so since their teens.
• Those who don't volunteer cite "lack of time" as the primary barrier to volunteering.

In 2002-03, Lions Clubs International's nearly 1.4 million members worldwide donated an estimated 65 million hours and an estimated US$667 million. The average number of hours donated per club worldwide is estimated to be nearly 1,500. In the U.S. and its affiliate countries, Lions Clubs members donated an estimated 12 million hours and an estimated US$167 million.

As the world's largest service club organization, Lions Clubs International has 46,000 clubs serving 193 countries and geographical areas; providing global reach with local impact. Founded in 1917, Lions Clubs International -- recognized worldwide for its service to the blind and visually impaired -- also dedicates itself to helping those less fortunate in communities around the world. Involving members in projects as local as cleaning up an area park or as far-reaching as bringing sight to the world's blind, Lions clubs provide innovative service to their communities. More information can be found online at www.lionsclubs.org.

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