What does this measure?

The percentage of adult residents who volunteered in the past year.

Why is this important?

Numerous organizations depend on volunteers to provide needed services to the community. The volunteerism rate shows how many area residents are engaged in helping others.

How is our region performing?

The region has seen a significant increase in the percentage of people volunteering since 2000, as has the nation. In 2006, 65% of those in the region reported volunteering at least once, compared to 53% in 2000. National participation increased from 55% to 59% during that period. Many of these people are volunteering quite frequently—in 2006, 31% of adult residents in our region had volunteered 12 or more times in the past year, compared to 23% in the nation and up from 22% in the region in 2000.

Notes about the data

Data from the Rochester Area Community Foundation Social Capital Survey include residents of six counties: Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Livingston, Genesee and Orleans. Data could not be broken out between Monroe and the surrounding counties.