Getting Involved Nonprofit group is providing a database of opportunities for people to pitch in and help out

Michael Hewlett

Aug. 16, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- A new national report indicates that, so far, neither soaring gas prices nor a down economy have dramatically harmed volunteerism.

But keeping people engaged is still a problem, said Scott Wierman, the president of the Winston-Salem Foundation, an organization that has long tracked community involvement.

"I know that in this community, people want to be connected and want to be involved," he said. "Our downfall is that we haven't done a good job in communicating. For a long time, we took the low-hanging fruit and went to the same people. We're trying to broaden that base."

The Nonprofit and Volunteer Connections organization is trying to fix that by providing a database of places in the area people where can volunteer.

Amy Lytle, the executive director of the organization, said she continues to see more people volunteer, but many of those people want more flexibility and are concerned about fuel costs.

"Everybody is busy and everyone is overscheduled," Lytle said.

Wierman said he sees a lot of episodic volunteering.

"I think it's more important for our community to get this right," he said.

"We have this baby-boom generation that's getting ready (OTCBB:GTRY) to retire. People are living longer. They want to be engaged. They want to remain involved in things (that are) important."

A report by the Corporation for National and Community Service showed that nearly 61 million Americans volunteered in 2007, up about 1 million from 2002. The national volunteer rate was 26.2 percent. The corporation calculated the rate using information obtained by the U.S. Census Bureau during a survey of 60,000 households.

The report showed that North Carolina's volunteer rate of 27.3 percent ranked the state 32nd in the county. Among the state's larger cities, Charlotte had a volunteer rate of 32.6 percent, which placed it 10th among the nation's 50 large cities. Raleigh's rate of 26.7 percent placed it 33rd among large cities. Asheville, with a rate of 37.6 percent, was ranked 12th among 75 mid-size cities, while Greensboro, with a rate of 28.5 percent, was 44th among midsize cities.

Winston-Salem, which has a volunteer rate of 33.5 percent, was not ranked in the report because it didn't fit into the category of either large or midsize cities.

Experts say that volunteering remains strong but the weakening economy is making it tougher for people to find time to volunteer.

"If an increasing number of families on the stable side are being affected by the economy, volunteering may not be one of the priorities they set for their families right then and there," said Will Lindsay, the executive director of the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service.

Between 2005 and 2006, volunteering declined 6 percent across the country, but it stabilized last year, according to the report, titled "Volunteering in America."

The report also said that 22 million Americans dropped out of volunteering between 2006 and 2007.

Leann Noah said that volunteerism is a good way to make a difference in the community, even in difficult economic times. "Financially you might not be able to donate money, but you can make a difference if you volunteer your time," she said.

She and her 13-year-old daughter, Kayleen, regularly drive from their home near Rural Hall to volunteer at the Forsyth Humane Society on Miller Street.

In addition to doing something to help the community, volunteering helps instill good values and teaches her daughter leadership skills, she said.

"When you weigh out the benefits, it's no problem paying for the gas," she said.

In 2006, a National Social Capital Community Benchmark survey done for this area showed high levels of Forsyth County residents volunteering and participating in community activities.

And the survey also showed that the county continues to be a place where people give generously to charitable and religious organizations.

Lindsay said that some of the kinds of volunteering that North Carolina residents are involved in don't show up in studies such as the Volunteering in America report.

"We have a culture in North Carolina of helping each other, of neighbors helping neighbors going through tough times," he said.

"This survey would not have picked up on that."

Nan Griswold, the executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina, agreed.

"People volunteer every day," Griswold said. "They don't consider themselves a volunteer. They take food over to a neighbor. They do something in church.... It's a different sort of mind-set. So when they say only 33 percent are volunteering, I would say no way, Jose. They don't count the informal volunteering of giving back to your fellow man."

Griswold said she hasn't seen any shortage of volunteers for her organization. Some are retired. Others are doing community service. She said she wonders if some people are out of work and just want to give back.

She is noticing that more people are working and might not have as much time. Even older people are working longer instead of retiring, she said.

"The sustaining volunteer is very hard to get," Griswold said.

Lindsay said he worries about how the economy will affect volunteerism in the long term.

"I'm hoping that we are going to hold our own and maybe even see a small increase," he said. "I'm concerned energy concerns will have an impact on the number of people who volunteer. Gas prices keep going up."

Michael Hewlett can be reached at 727-7326 or at mhewlett@wsjournal.com.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0222-27453090