Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Lt. Governor Bell to Announce New Federal Report Ranking


Lt. Governor Bell to Announce New Federal Report Ranking
Utah #1 Volunteering State in Nation for 6th Year in a Row
Provo, Ogden and Salt Lake City rank as the top 3 cities in their categories nationwide.

Salt Lake City - Lt. Governor Greg Bell and key state partners will announce the findings of the 2011 Volunteering in America report ranking Utah as the #1 volunteering state in the nation for the 6th year running.

"It's not at all surprising to me that Utah is ranked first in the nation for its state volunteerism rate again this year," said Lt. Governor Greg Bell. "Our state has long been known as a national leader in volunteerism and service. These volunteerism rankings are a representation of the character of Utahns, and I am proud that our residents are committed to serving their neighbors and communities."

Collected in partnership with the U.S. Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is the most comprehensive set of data on volunteering in the U.S., and tracks volunteering trends in all 51 states and over 200 cities. The data shows that as the nation works to tackle some of its toughest challenges and expand opportunity for all Americans, volunteers are resolute in their commitment to their neighbors and communities, with 62.8 million adults serving almost 8.1 billion hours in local and national organizations in 2010.

This report ranks Utah as the #1 volunteering state in the nation with 44.5% of adults volunteering. This volunteering rate is significantly above the national average of 26.5%. In addition to being ranked the #1 volunteering state in the nation, Utah ranked #1 in six other categories.
 
Other #1 state rankings Include:
  • Volunteer Hours per Resident: 89.2 hours (up from 86.9 hours in 2009)
  • Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964): 49.2% (up from 48.9% in 2009)
  • Generation X (born 1965 to 1981): 47.0% (national average 29.2%)
  • College Students: 44.9% (up from 42.3% in 2009)
  • Young Adults (ages 16-24): 39.9% (down from 40.2% in 2009)
  • Millennials (born in/after 1982) 39.9% (up from 39.4% in 2009)

"Service continues to be a powerful force for good across the state," said Gov. Gary Herbert. "In devoting time and energy to meet local needs, volunteers provide a model for fellow citizens—fostering lifelong habits of leadership, problem-solving, empathy and self reliance."

Using service as a key solution to many of the challenges facing our state is economically advantageous for Utah. On average, Utah’s 884,000 volunteers dedicated 177.1 million hours of service in 2010.

"One of Utah’s unique economic ingredients is the valuable contribution that our citizens make within their communities," said Spencer Eccles, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. "In our office, we always look at return on investment, and Utah volunteers contributed about $3.8 billion in service last year alone; I consider that a significant economic driver."

The spirit of Utah’s volunteerism is exemplified in individual cities as well. The city of Provo leads our nation, ranking 1st as the mid-size city with the highest volunteer rate in the country at 61% with each resident averaging 151.9 hours of service. This is nearly four and a half times the national average of 34.1 hours per resident.

"Provo residents understand the real value of serving one another, as evidenced by the results of this study," said Provo Mayor John R. Curtis. "The value of giving back and taking care of our neighbors cannot be overstated, and I am pleased that Provo is being recognized as leading the nation to ensure that community service continues to thrive."

Ogden, Utah ranked 2nd in the nation with a 52.2% volunteer rate in the mid-size cities, and averages 108.5 hours of service per person. This percentage helped Ogden jump from the a 3rd place ranking in 2009 to 2nd place in 2010. Salt Lake City ranked 3rd in the nation in the larger cities category with a volunteering rate of 34.1% and 54.5 volunteer hours per resident.

"As volunteers fill critical voids in our community’s infrastructure, state and local leaders increasingly recognize the key role volunteers play in addressing economic and social challenges at time of fiscal constraint," said Shar Lewis, executive director of the Utah Commission on Volunteers. "I encourage Utahns to continue their leadership and strong civic mindedness by stepping up to meet our communities needs with renewed enthusiasm and engagement."