The Rise of Youth Volunteers in Texas
Posted by provplace on October 29th, 2013
Non-profit organizations do not have the luxury of large bank accounts for-profit businesses have; they depend in large part on donations from their supporters and grants for funding. The people who work at these organizations likewise sacrifice large salaries in return for doing meaningful work for an organization they believe in. This often means a smaller staff and relying on volunteers to help them achieve their goals.
These volunteers devote their time, generally for little to no financial compensation, in order to help the organization succeed and grow. Volunteers tend to be the backbone of non-profit work, and without them, the organizations would have trouble doing all they want for their communities.
According to several studies, volunteers now tend to be youth and teenagers rather than adults. The charity World Vision found 56% of teens volunteer their time compared to the 46% of adults.
The impact of volunteering is outstanding. In Texas, the value of the 4.64 million volunteers for 2011 was estimated to be roughly $12.4 billion, according to VolunteeringinAmerica.gov. Youth alone contribute well over one billion hours of volunteer time each year, a number that has been seeing a steady rise.
High numbers of young volunteers show youth are increasingly interested and passionate about giving back to their community, whether through their church, school, or just with friends. They also understand the importance it has for their own personal growth. Studies find youth who volunteer some of their time succeed academically and develop skills and connections, which better prepare them for jobs and careers following graduation.
But the services young and adult volunteers bring cannot be simply measured in dollars. Their true value and importance stems from the work they do and the impact it has on their community, whether it is by helping build homes, teach people with disabilities, or work with underprivileged children.
However, not everyone is able to contribute time for volunteering. For them, supporting an organization by donating funds has never been easier. There are several non-profit organizations in Texas that now offer donations via text message and online donating is done with ease, safety, and security.
Whether through donating time or money, the impact of supporting charitable organizations has impacted not only communities but the volunteers themselves, providing them with valuable skills and benefits that will better shape them for the future.
About Providence Place
Providence Place of San Antonio, Texas is a nonprofit organization offering adoption services, vocational training for adults with disabilities and working with other nonprofit organizations in the San Antonio area. To learn more about the work they do or to schedule a tour of their 25-acre campus, visit their website provplace.org or contact them today.
