SALT LAKE CITY — April 21-27 Utah will join in National Volunteer Week, a nationwide effort to honor and celebrate ordinary people doing extraordinary things to improve communities across the country. It highlights the enormous contributions that volunteers make every day.
Utah continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to improving communities in a variety of ways through service and volunteerism, ranking #1 in the nation for volunteering seven years running by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The most recent data shows more than 837,000 volunteers in Utah served approximately 144 million total hours, which is the equivalent of over 69,000 full-time employees.
“We as Utahns know through volunteering, we can meet challenges and accomplish goals, touching lives along the way,” said Utah Commission on Service and Volunteerism Executive Director LaDawn Stoddard. “National Volunteer Week is a great opportunity to recognize and celebrate the volunteers that are making a difference, strengthening the lives of individuals, organizations, and communities.”
The total estimated economic value of volunteer service in Utah was over $3.1 billion based on the Independent Sector’s annual estimate of the average value of a volunteer hour, which is $21.79.
Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week focuses national attention on the impact and power of volunteerism and service as an integral aspect of our civic leadership. The week draws the support and endorsement of the President and Congress, governors, mayors and municipal leaders, as well as corporate and community groups across the country.
This years theme “Celebrate Service” honors individuals who take action and solve significant problems in their communities. Since our nation's founding, volunteers have been the source of action and change. Two hundred thirty five years later, their energy continues to move our country forward. Advances in technology and social networking make volunteering today more simple than ever.
The Commission on Service and Volunteerism encourages everyone to find a way to say “Thank You” to the volunteers that are making a difference in Utah communities every day.
