New data on volunteering in the United States from the independent government agency AmeriCorps shows the pandemic cut deeply into the amount of time people give to charitable causes, including in Iowa.

AmeriCorps works with the Census Bureau every other year to track volunteer efforts. Iowa still remains in the top half of states where residents pitch in to help others, according to the latest research, but Michelle Raymer, senior program officer for volunteer engagement and infrastructure at Volunteer Iowa, said the pandemic sent the overall number of volunteers down sharply, at a critical time.

"At the state level, we have annual data that has shown us volunteering dropped from about 52.9% before the pandemic (to) 41.8% now," she said, "and that was at the same time that nonprofits really have been stretched thin, due to all the increased needs created by the pandemic. And so, the drop is happening when the need has never been greater."

In addition to creating a statewide volunteer database, Raymer said, Iowa is increasing outreach efforts to encourage people to donate their time, as well as increasing training for nonprofit groups to recruit more volunteers.

While the number of volunteers dropped more than 10% in the state, Raymer said Iowans are still doing a lot of what the report calls "informal helping out" - shoveling snow from the neighbor's driveway, getting groceries for someone who's homebound, reading to kids or just spending time with somebody who needs company. She said Iowa remains in the top ten states in that category, and reminded people the benefits of volunteering go both ways.

"Volunteering is great for a lot of reasons," she said. "In addition to helping the community, when people volunteer, it helps their health and wellness and helps mental health, too. And challenges with mental health, now more than ever, Iowans themselves could benefit personally from volunteering. But really, creating that high-quality, effective volunteer opportunity isn't free. It takes investment."

The AmeriCorps report said more than 60-million Americans formally volunteered with organizations in 2020 and 2021, a number that more than doubled when counting those helping their neighbors or community without a group affiliation.

Today is International Volunteer Day, a celebration of the work people offer to support the causes they care for. Nonprofits across the country rely on volunteers to fulfill their mission.

Kevin Bailey, CEO of the Idaho Nonprofit Center, said people's sense of wanting to give back is what drives volunteerism.

"People understand the need that's there and the need to step up for their communities. If they want vibrant and thriving communities, there's a real need to give back through nonprofits and through volunteerism specifically," he explained.

A study by AmeriCorps found the volunteer rate in Idaho was nearly 38%, ranking tenth in the nation.

In Idaho, three-quarters of nonprofits have less than $500,000 in annual revenue. Bailey said that means they likely have between one and five paid staff members, which creates a need for more volunteers. But that can strain what little staff resources they have.

"So, there's this kind of a double-edged sword to it," he continued. "The need is really great. The ability to manage volunteers at scale is somewhat difficult."

Bailey added one underrated aspect of volunteerism is that it gets people involved civically in their communities.

"We see a real challenge in our country and in our state, especially with younger generations, making sure that citizens are civically engaged," he noted. "Oftentimes, volunteerism is that first taste, or that first entree, into civic engagement, which leads to a lifetime of civic engagement."


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As the weather turns colder, two groups of people in one North Dakota city that are generations apart appear to be in good shape to navigate housing issues that might surface this winter and beyond. It's the result of a mentorship initiative.

The Bringing Generations Together project in Grand Forks was funded by an AARP Community Challenge grant. Nearly 20 college students were paired with 10 older residents in an area near the University of North Dakota campus.

Shaylee Miller, project coordinator with Bringing Generations Together, said throughout the fall, the students helped with home and yard tasks while the older residents shared generational wisdom on life skills, including working with landlords.

"I really see this project as providing a space for these generations to connect in a way that they might not have had the chance to before," she explained.

And for the younger residents, Miller hopes they learned a greater sense of community they can bring with them to other towns and cities after graduation. Project leaders say as the initial phase winds down, they are getting positive feedback from participants. With some funding left over, they hope to revive the initiative in the spring.

As older adults juggle costs for things such as medication, Miller said having the students help with certain tasks can ease some of the financial pressure their mentors might be facing.

"So, having students come to your home for an hour to rake [leaves], that can be huge -- not having to pay for a service to do that," Miller added.

This project is tied to University Park Neighborhoods, a collaborative organization aimed at improving the quality of life in northern Grand Forks.

The Community Challenge grant officials used for the fall project was one of six initiatives AARP funded across North Dakota this year.

Child care access has become a major focal point in the U.S., and South Dakota is no exception.

More than two dozen communities are using grant money to come up with local solutions in hopes of expanding options for families. Earlier this week, the governor's office announced more than $1 million in funding will be shared by 28 economic development groups around the state.

Nancy Wenande, CEO of grant recipient Yankton Thrive, welcomed having more resources to help map out a strategy geared for her community.

"Yankton is one of the many communities that has a lot of manufacturing," Wenande explained. "We know we already have a shortage of early morning or evening or weekend child care. So, we're going to be taking a look at are there options there, that we can help fill those gaps."

Wenande pointed out based on local information gathering, Yankton is short around 700 day care spots, forcing some people to stay home with their kids instead of working. The grant program has two phases; a first round focused on planning, and a second in which funding will be provided for implementation of ideas.

Wenande acknowledged low wages for child care staff are a big part of the problem. Whether it is additional help from the state or local planning, she argued sustainability should be the driving force behind any model.

"One-time dollars coming in might help you build a building, or they might help you start a program," Wenande acknowledged. "But if you can't financially sustain that program as well as affordable options for those needing the services, you're really not going to make any progress."

The state is using American Rescue Plan funding to administer the grants. State officials said they had an overwhelming number of applications, suggesting child care access is a critical issue in most South Dakota towns and cities.