Independent Sector Statement on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Volunteer Service Indicator

12/20/2002

From: Carla Bundy of Independent Sector, 202-467-6100 Web: http://www.IndependentSector.org

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- The following is a statement by Sara E. Melendez, president and CEO of Independent Sector on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Volunteer Service Indicator:

INDEPENDENT SECTOR congratulates the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, Census Bureau, and USA Freedom Corps for undertaking critical research on the important contributions of Americans who give back to their communities as volunteers with nonprofit organizations. The new study released earlier this week, Volunteering in the United States, significantly advances the data on volunteering that INDEPENDENT SECTOR has collected in its research on volunteering for more than 20 years.

The trend data in this study complements and confirms INDEPENDENT SECTOR's findings on the powerful influence of community engagement and religious beliefs on volunteering, the correlation between education and employment in rates of volunteerism; the growth of volunteering among America's young people and the importance of family involvement in volunteering.

INDEPENDENT SECTOR was pleased to work with the Bureau of Labor Statistics as the Bureau crafted its survey instrument. This data will enhance and inform our future biennial surveys on the giving and volunteering habits of American households.

The government's survey is impressive in the scope of the study itself, with a survey of more than 60,000 households participating. It is also clear that response rates to surveys conducted by a government agency, such as the Census Bureau, are much higher than can be achieved by any private sector agency.

We look forward to working with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, and USA Freedom Corps to enhance understanding of the role of volunteer service in our society and to encourage more citizens to participate in their communities.

For additional information on the survey results, go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.toc.htm, or the USA Freedom Corps website: http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov/about_usafc/whats_new/announcement s.asp

------ INDEPENDENT SECTOR is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of more than 700 national nonprofit organizations, foundations, and corporate philanthropy programs, collectively representing tens of thousands of charitable groups in every state across the nation. Its mission is to promote, strengthen, and advance the nonprofit and philanthropic community to foster private initiative for the public good.