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Last updated on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
(BLOOMINGTON) - According to research released by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service, more people in Bloomington volunteer than both the Hoosier and the national averages.
The average volunteer rate in Bloomington is 34%, the Indiana rate is 28% and the U.S. rate is 26%.
Bloomington residents also volunteer more hours per year, averaging 50 hours in 2010. In contrast, Hoosiers volunteered 37 hours per resident and the national average was 34 hours.
Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan says he is not surprised by the numbers. He says Bloomington residents really care about their town and fill crucial voids in the community. Without their time, their expertise and their labor, Bloomington wouldn't have the quality of life residents enjoy.
81 local organizations responded to the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network's recent member agency survey [2011], a 36% response rate. They reported a total of 437,885 volunteer hours logged locally. Using Independent Sector's estimate of the dollar value of volunteer time, Bloomington volunteers at those reporting agencies provided services valued at over $7.5 million to our community. Clearly, volunteers provide a powerful economic and social benefit.
The survey results also made clear the importance of Indiana University student volunteers, with 83% of the respondents considering them either essential, very important or important to their operational success.
In addition, the survey shed light on who is managing these critical volunteer resources in our nonprofits. Approximately 19% of local organizations employed a paid, full-time volunteer resource manager, 49% paid someone to manage volunteers on a part-time basis, and 32% utilize volunteers as volunteer managers.
The City of Bloomington Volunteer Network mobilizes volunteers to address community issues and build on community assets. It seeks to build a strong, healthy and engaged community by connecting volunteers of all ages with opportunities to serve and by providing resources to volunteers and agencies to build creative and effective volunteer projects, programs and partnerships.
Membership in the Volunteer Network is free and open to all area nonprofits and governmental programs that utilize volunteers.
For more information, contact Bet Savich, City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, 349.3472, savichb@bloomington.in.gov. To volunteer, go to www.bloomington.in.gov/volunteer.
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