Utah named No. 1 state for volunteerism 11th straight year

Utah tops the nation in volunteer hours donated for the 11th straight year, photo date and location unspecified | Photo courtesy of Gov. Gary Herbert's Office, St. George News

UTAH — For the 11th straight year, Utahns have donated more volunteer hours than any other state in America, according to a report by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

no-1-utah-volunteerismUtah had a 43 percent volunteerism rate, which was 18 points higher than the national average of 25 percent, according to the Volunteering and Civic Life in America report released Friday. The total economic impact of volunteer hours donated in Utah was $3.8 billion.

The report is part of the most comprehensive study of volunteering and civic engagement across the country. The data is gathered annually through the Current Population Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“It is an honor for Utah to once again be recognized as the No. 1 state for volunteerism,” Gov. Gary R. Herbert said Friday.

no-1-volunteerismIn 2015, 844,023 Utahns volunteered a total of 170 million hours of service, according to the national report.

The top three volunteer activities in Utah are: tutoring or teaching, mentoring youth and collecting and distributing food.

“The work of our exceptional volunteers reaffirms the greater sense of cooperation and charity that makes our communities strong and saves costs that would otherwise be absorbed by government or the taxpayer,” Herbert said.

As the holiday season approaches, Herbert urged Utahns to volunteer and donate to neighbors, friends, veterans and others as a mark of gratitude for the blessings they enjoy.

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1 Comment

  • .... November 19, 2016 at 2:41 pm

    This is a great honor for the state of Utah and our Respected. reelected Governor Herbert the state of Utah has a Great leader and representatives

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