- Katy Watkins
- Monday, April 22
Many in our community volunteer to make a difference for a cause they believe in. National Volunteer Week (NVW) is observed in April to recognize and celebrate the impact volunteers make in our communities.
National Volunteer Week began in 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order establishing NVW. The purpose of NVW is to raise awareness about the need for volunteers and the feeling of gratification and fulfillment received through acts of volunteer service.
Presidential successors have continued their support of NVW and the engagement of citizen participation. Inspired by President George H.W. Bush's impactful speech to the Nation that called on citizens to become “a thousand points of light,” The Points of Light Foundation was founded in 1990. The mission of the Points of Light (POL) is “to inspire, equip, and mobilize people to take actions that change the world.”
The POL recognizes that challenges are great and complex, but the power of volunteers is immense! POL is a leader in promoting the recognition of volunteers during NVW as well as delivering products and services, research, and connecting people for change.
The United States Census Bureau began tracking data on volunteering in 2005. Volunteering and Civic Service is tracked by a supplemental survey of the Current Population Survey. Currently, AmeriCorps is the sponsor of this biannual survey that is charged with “obtaining information on the extent to which our nation’s communities are places where individuals are civically active. It will also obtain information about the number of individuals in the U.S. involved in unpaid volunteer activities, and measure the frequency with which individuals volunteer their time.”
The most recent report was completed in 2020-2021 (at the height of the pandemic) and “examines national rates of organizational volunteering, helping others informally, charitable giving, and other civic behaviors. This research supports evidence-based decision-making, and efforts to understand how people make a difference in communities across the country.”
“An estimated 23.2 percent of Americans or more than 60.7 million people formally volunteered with organizations between September 2020 and 2021. In total, these volunteers served an estimated 4.1 billion hours with an economic value of $122.9 billion.
South Carolina was slightly below the national percentage with an estimated 21.8% of South Carolinians formally volunteering with organizations.
So, thank you if you are a volunteer! If you have not volunteered recently, your charge is to thank a volunteer whom you interact with at the library or elsewhere in the community!
Explore more ways to support Richland Library by visiting Richland Library Friends and Foundation. You can support Richland Library by Donating books and materials, Shopping the used book sales, or Giving. If you prefer to lend a hand, visit richlandlibrary.com/volunteer to learn more about our volunteer opportunities!