National statistics show that nearly one in three baby boomers spends time volunteering.
“I had time on my hands and I wanted to do something in my community,” Everett resident Maggie Reece said.
Reece spends about 20 hours a week helping various groups become fluent in financial liter
acy.
She works with the Volunteers of America and with Junior Achievement, among others.
Like many people in Snohomish County, Reece was introduced to these organizations through a placement program called Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, or RSVP.
Nearly four decades old, RSVP is a federal program managed locally in the offices of Catholic Community Services.
People volunteer to work at a variety of local nonprofit and government agencies, including information centers, hospice homes “and everything in between,” said John McAlpine, the Snohomish County RSVP recruiter.
RSVP places volunteers at police departments, nursing homes, food banks and the Red Barn Community Farm in Everett, said Paulette Jacobson, the volunteer services manager.
“We have a lot of volunteers who like to play in the dirt,” she said.
Nationally more than 5 million people volunteer through RSVP. Here in Snohomish County, there are more than 1,000 volunteers who give about 170,000 hours of time to more than 110 organizations. The time adds up quickly.
Officials estimate that a volunteer hour is valued at $20.85. That translates to about $3.5 million in donated time each year in Snohomish County.
People who volunteer through RSVP must be 55 and pass a background check. Then McAlpine works closely as a liaison, matching the volunteer with an organization.
The work helps people feel involved and useful.
“It gives them a reason to get out of bed,” he said.
Evidence shows that being in social settings strengthens volunteers’ sense of belonging and identity. Medical research shows that volunteering can result in a “heightened sense of well-being.” That can translate to a strong immune system, faster recovery time and better sleep, according to research studies.
“It feels really good,” Reece said. “I’ve felt good anytime I was involved in something to help other people.”
Baby Boomers Volunteering
Here are some national statistics about baby boomers and volunteering.
* The volunteer rate for boomers is 33 percent, the highest of any age group.
* The average boomer volunteers 51 hours a year, or about an hour a week.
* Almost half of all boomers who work part time also volunteer.
* Boomer volunteers select many diverse types of volunteer opportunities that rely on a wide variety of skills and interests.
* Boomers are the most likely of all age groups to volunteer for more than one organization.
* About 37 percent of boomer women volunteer compared to 29 percent of boomer men.
Source: The Corporation for National and Community Service from a Current Population Survey (2005)
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