Age Friendly Tucker: Where are the Volunteers?

LOIS RICCI

Volunteers are one of the most valuable resources an organization has. Organizations often rely on volunteers to carry out the mission and objectives by donating their time, skills, and support. One out of four people in this country volunteer, although many more say they want to. Our country has relied on volunteers from the start, beginning with the colonists. Benjamin Franklin was responsible for the first volunteer fire house in 1763; now 70% of all U.S. firefighters are volunteers. In the 19th century, the YMCA, American Red Cross, and United Way all began as volunteer organizations. Civic organizations Rotary and Kiwanis were formed in the early 1900s to coordinate many volunteer projects. The Civil Rights Movement inspired people of all races, ages, and creeds to volunteer to enact social change. One of the signature achievements of President John F. Kennedy was creating the Peace Corps, formed in the mid-sixties to train and deploy volunteers to provide international development assistance.

The volunteer movement continued to grow throughout the remainder of the twentieth century, mostly through the work of community and faithbased groups. Volunteerism spiked after 9/11, but in the next decade began to decline. The Great Recession of 2007 to 2009 changed community ties; people with financial woes didn’t have the time or desire to volunteer. 2020 saw an increase in volunteers; the pandemic and associated social and policy issues inspired many to get involved again in their communities. Stay-at-home workers began to look for ways to use the free time, and technology made virtual volunteering accessible and easy, as well as a safe way to keep connected with others.

We are proud of the role volunteering has played in our history. But if most people want to volunteer, and see the benefits of volunteering helping them and others, why aren’t more people volunteering? Some of the most common reasons given are: • They don’t have enough time to volunteer. • They don’t want to take time from family. • They work during the day, so the only time they have available is in the evening. • They don’t want to take time to volunteer on weekends. • They don’t feel they can devote enough time to matter.

The most common reason for not volunteering is lack of time. This is hard to dispute, but working moms who were interviewed said that if they found something in the community that interested them, they would find out more and would find a way to fit it into their schedule. Some mothers found programs that allowed them to bring their kids. Others said that the time away from parental duties was good for them.

For each of the reasons given for not volunteering, there are ways to effectively counter them. There are many groups and organizations that meet in the evening during the week, including church groups, community or neighborhood committees, civic organizations, and social groups. Weekend volunteer projects can also be family time, such as park clean-ups, or walking dogs at Lifeline Community Animal Center. And a volunteer gives what time they can. You could welcome new residents to Tucker, delivering bags once a month. You could read to a shut-in, or become a part of Tucker Walks, a city project that anyone can participate in, however they want to.

There is a relationship between volunteering and improved physical health and cognitive function. Research shows that volunteers report better moods and less depression, as well as increased social interactions and social support, better relationship quality, and decreased loneliness. And it can be fun! So, if volunteering is so good for us, why aren’t more of us volunteering? Where are the volunteers?

DR. LOIS RICCI is a longtime resident of Tucker, where she chairs the Tucker Civic Association Lifelong Community Committee. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Kennesaw State University, where she teaches gerontology courses and the Professional Development in Gerontology Certificate Class. Ricci also serves as an official representative for American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), co-facilitator for the Rosalyn Carter CareNet, and on the board of the Atlanta Regional Commission Advisory Committee on Aging. Contact Dr. Ricci at loisricci@ bellsouth.net.