Volunteerism in America

Fast Facts: Volunteerism in America On March 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10924, which established the Peace Corps. Peace Corps members have served in more than 139 countries. The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, created VISTA Volunteers in Service to America. By the end of 1965, 2,000 members were working in the Appalachian region. January 19, 2009, was the largest day of service in the 14 years since Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, with 13,000 service projects taking place nationwide. Where Americans Volunteer in 2012, 26.5% of Americans volunteered 7.9 billion hours total at a variety of organizations. 34.2% - Religious 26.5% - Educational 14.4% - Social Service 8.0% - Health 7.7% - Other 5.5% - Civic 3.7% - Sports/Arts In 2012, the estimated value of volunteer time was $22.14 per hour. These states had the highest values: Volunteer Hours of hours per Service Hourly value resident (in millions) Washington, DCc 35.0 18.4 $34.40 New York 24.7 384.3 $28.73 Connecticut 37.4 106.3 $28.26 Massachusetts 29.8 159.0 $27.43 New Jersey 27.9 194.5 $25.91 Among veterans in 2012: 26.1% volunteer 5.2 801.4 million million volunteers hours of service #howlserve MPA@UNC