Volunteerism in Missouri

Missouri

Volunteering is a form of civic participation that can improve individual, community and societal health. Additionally, civic participation can expand an individual's social network and increase their social capital.

Data from multiple studies show an average 22% reduction in mortality among those who volunteer compared with those who do not. Volunteers also experience mental health benefits, including reduced depression and increased life satisfaction and well-being. 

An estimated 75.7 million people in the United States formally volunteered between September 2022 and September 2023. Altogether, volunteers in the U.S. served 5 billion hours during that year, worth more than $167 billion in economic value.

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of volunteerism is higher among: 

• Women compared with men.
• Multiracial and white adults compared with Hispanic adults.
• Adults who graduated from college compared with those with lower levels of educational attainment. 
• Adults with annual household incomes of $150,000 or more compared with those who have incomes less than $150,000. As income levels rise, the prevalence of volunteerism also increases significantly. 

The U.S. government has multiple volunteer organizations and opportunities, including AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and poll worker positions. Government opportunities are listed on Volunteer.gov. 

Schools, jobs and community organizations can also encourage or require volunteering. Volunteer requirements in high school increase the odds of adult volunteering. More corporations have begun offering employees paid time off to volunteer, which has the added benefit of improving employee retention and satisfaction.

Healthy People 2030 identifies volunteering as a form of civic participation, a social determinant of health. 

Hart, Daniel, Thomas M. Donnelly, James Youniss, and Robert Atkins. “High School Community Service as a Predictor of Adult Voting and Volunteering.” American Educational Research Journal 44, no. 1 (March 1, 2007): 197–219. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831206298173.

Jenkinson, Caroline E., Andy P. Dickens, Kerry Jones, Jo Thompson-Coon, Rod S. Taylor, Morwenna Rogers, Clare L. Bambra, Iain Lang, and Suzanne H. Richards. “Is Volunteering a Public Health Intervention? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Health and Survival of Volunteers.” BMC Public Health 13, no. 1 (August 23, 2013): 773. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-773.

Nichol, Beth, Rob Wilson, Angela Rodrigues, and Catherine Haighton. “Exploring the Effects of Volunteering on the Social, Mental, and Physical Health and Well-Being of Volunteers: An Umbrella Review.” VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations 35, no. 1 (February 2024): 97–128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-023-00573-z.