Nonprofits Are Hoping More Baby Boomers Will Volunteer (USA Today)

Charities and nonprofits would like to get as many of the 77 million baby boomers volunteering as possible. Boomers make very attractive volunteers because they are well educated, bring well-honed skills and have years of work and life experience. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, roughly one-third of boomers ages 48 to 66 years volunteer with a religious affiliation, 22% in education, 14% in social service and 8% in hospitals. However, the number of boomers volunteering these days is on the decline. About 28.8% of boomers volunteered in 2010, down from 29.9% in 2007, down from 33.5% in 2003, according to CNCS. An Associated Press-National Constitution Center Poll in August found 69% of boomers did not have time and 19% had health or physical limitations that prevented volunteering.