The major characteristic that draws together millions of American volunteers is that they volunteer because someone asked them to. When millions of people are asked to volunteer, their response is overwhelmingly positive. It is not simply the act of volunteering that makes volunteers the back-bone of the independent sector . They also provide major financial support for the sector. Studies show that volunteers are more likely than non-volunteers to give to the sector.
Volunteers also give a higher percentage of their household income - almost twice as much.
Motivation for Volunteering People volunteer because they want to help others and becomes they themselves benefit from the experience. Volunteers feel needed Volunteering gives people a new perspective A number of experiences make people more likely to volunteer. Previous studies have shown that people who are active in religious organizations are more likely to volunteer. But a new Independent Sector study shows that people who are involved in any volunteer organization, religious or not, are more likely to volunteer. Also, people who have had positive experiences with volunteering as children continue to volunteer as adults.