The engine of volunteerism purrs along day-in and day-out engaging millions of Americans in hands-on work to make their communities better. Ben Franklin started it way back in 1736 with the first volunteer firehouse and today almost every nonprofit is buoyed by hours of unpaid time contributed by committed do-gooders.
"Volunteerism is engrained in our nation’s history and psyche," said Barbara Floersch, grants expert and author of You Have a Hammer: Building Grant Proposals for Social Change. "When we're concerned about an issue, our instinct is to put on the yoke and pull whether or not we get paid for it."
Volunteers can enhance an organization’s reputation and reach, but the value of unpaid labor eclipses those more subtle benefits. Volunteers provide billions of dollars of free labor every year. Without them many nonprofits would have to curtail services or even close their doors.
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