St. Louis Tops Nation in Volunteering

 Today, Mayor Slay announced that between 2008 and 2009 30.5% of adults within St. Louis volunteered – ranking St. Louis 10th among the 51 largest metropolitan areas.

“This report is a testament to the success of service in St. Louis,” said Mayor Slay. “We’ve known for a long time that St. Louisans are very generous with their time, their money, and their talents. I’m proud that our generosity tops this list – and I encourage everyone to continue their volunteerism. Your service is making our City a better place to live.”

Volunteering in America (VIA) is the most comprehensive data ever assembled on volunteer trends and demographics. The report includes a volunteer data profile for St. Louis, MO and shows how residents responded to the economic crisis with a commitment to service.

Between 2008 and 2009 692,000 St. Louisans volunteered at an average of 38.7 hours per resident. St. Louis’ volunteer rate, at 31%, is 4.2% above the national average. The number of volunteers in St. Louis went up from 2008 to 2009, and the most common types of volunteerism in St. Louis have to do with collecting and distributing food and fundraising. The volunteer retention rate in St. Louis is 69.3%, compared to the national average of 65%. To view the whole report, please visit http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/MO/St.-Louis.

If you would like to volunteer or want more information on the volunteer opportunities available in the City of St. Louis, please contact Patrick Brown at 314-622-3757 or email him at BrownPa@stlouiscity.com.

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