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AARP Study: Boomers and Older Volunteers Serving on Their Own
January 18, 2010Though volunteering through organizations has remained stable in the last several years, a new report from AARP finds that informal service work among baby boomers and others 45+ is on the rise. According to the report, the number of boomers and older Americans engaged in self-directed volunteering—volunteering on their own, outside of a formal organization—increased from 34 percent in 2003 to 57 percent in 2009. Additionally, seven in 10 boomers reported they are engaged in volunteering either on their own or through an organization, which is a 20 percent increase over the number of people who say they volunteer through an organization alone. "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 C. Nelson, AARP Chief Operating Officer. "As AARP works to activate Boomers and older Americans, we continue to track these trends so that collectively, the service community can better meet the needs of everyone interested in giving back." Full release.