Nebraska ranks high in volunteerism

More Utah residents volunteer and give more of their time than any other state, according to a study by a federal agency that runs programs like Senior Corps and AmeriCorps, with some 48 percent of residents 16 and older serving as volunteers between 2003 and 2005.

What isn't surprising, however, is that Nebraska is second with 42.8 percent of its residents providing regular volunteer service. That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who depends on volunteering to keep their organizations going.

Whether it's a fire department, food pantry, Humane Society, church, senior center, service or social club -- Nebraskans depend on the goodness of their fellow citizens for too many services to count.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, which conducted the survey, sees a resurgence in volunteerism since the September 11, 2001, attacks, as well as the Gulf Coast hurricane destruction.

Nationally, the study found that women volunteered more often than men, married people did more of the volunteer work, and blacks volunteered more frequently than other ethnicities. The most committed age group was Americans 35-44 years old.

Most Americans -- 34.8 percent -- said they volunteered primarily through religious organizations, with 26.2 percent of volunteers giving time to educational or youth-related organizations.

More than 35 percent said they volunteered as coaches, referees, tutors or mentors, followed by fundraising at 29.7 percent and collection, preparation or distribution of foods at 26.3 percent.

While Nebraska ranked 47th in volunteering "intensity," with an average of 44 volunteer hours a year, it's third in the rate of volunteers over 65, with 40.6 percent, second in Baby Boomer volunteering with 48.2 percent, seventh in young adult volunteering with 32 percent and fifth in college student volunteering with 41.5 percent.

The CNCS study -- which by no means covers all volunteering opportunities -- indicates that more than 10,000 people of all ages and backgrounds are helping meet local needs, strengthen communities and increase civic engagement through 47 national service projects.

More than 6,500 seniors take part in three Senior Corps programs, 6,700 young people with special needs are served one-on-one as tutors and mentors through Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions help more than 940 homebound seniors and other adults, and the Retires and Senior Volunteer Program -- RSVP -- conducts safety patrols and other projects through more than 770 groups across the state.

This year, the AmeriCorps will provide more than 250 individuals to provide intensive, results-driven service to their communities, and the Learn and Serve merica provides grants to schools and nonprofit groups to support more than 3,800 students in community service.

"We need volunteering to be as much a part of people's lives as their work, their families and their social time," said CNCS Chief Executive David Eisner in a telephone interview with the Associated Press.

In Nebraska, that goal is well on its way to being reached.