Cecily O'Connor
RedwoodAge.com
A growing number of boomers are volunteering, stepping up to improve their neighborhoods or work on state and national issues.
While ready to serve, they are spending fewer hours per month than in previous years, and are increasingly likely to volunteer on their own rather than through a group, according to new AARP data.
Still, as the US faces growing challenges, older residents are coming together to drive improvements. The number of boomers engaged in "self-directed" volunteering, or volunteering on their own, outside of a formal organization, increased to 57 percent in 2009, up from 34 percent in 2003.
"We have long known that baby boomers stand ready to serve, but this data gives us new information about how they are serving," said Thomas Nelson, AARP's chief operating officer.
Boomers' chief motivation is feeling a personal responsibility to help others. This reason was reported by 68 percent of volunteers overall, and rated as very important by half of all volunteers.
Boomers also said volunteering makes their own lives more satisfying, and is an important way to help their own neighborhood or community. While fewer are likely to join organizations to give back, many report their involvement in churches and other religious groups remains a popular activity.
Up to 10 hours a month
Still, the amount of time volunteers spend in service has declined as
volunteering becomes more intermittent. Last year, volunteers spent an average
of six to 10 hours per month in service - a decline of five to nine hours per
month since 2003.
Financially speaking, boomers are still quite generous. The frequency of charitable giving among boomers increased to 72 percent in 2009 from 55 percent in 2008. Among those with higher incomes, donating was a fairly common practice, with more than eight in 10 giving.
Race also played a part in boomers' volunteerism, AARP found. African Americans over age 45, in particular, are likely to be very involved in volunteer work, with more than half saying they are very involved in religious or spiritual activities. Additionally, nearly twice as many African Americans report being very involved in educational activities compared to non-Hispanic whites.
"African Americans have a long history of civic and volunteer engagement in their communities," Nelson said. "The data is encouraging and tells us that this tradition, which is so important to creating vibrant communities, remains strong."
