Table 6. Volunteers by how they became involved with main organization for which volunteer activities were performed and selected characteristics, September 2011
Table 6. Volunteers by how they became involved with main organization for which volunteer activities were performed and
selected characteristics, September 2011
Percent distribution of how volunteers became involved with main
organization (1)
Total Was asked by:
volun- Not
Characteristics in September 2011 teers Approached report-
(thou- the Rela- Someone ing how
sands) Total organi- Boss or tive, in the Other became
zation Total employ- friend, organiza- Someone in-
(2) er or tion/ else volved
co- school
worker
Sex
Total, both sexes....................... 64,252 100.0 41.6 41.9 1.3 15.3 23.8 1.2 13.0 3.6
Men.................................. 27,354 100.0 40.7 43.0 1.3 16.5 23.8 1.1 12.5 3.8
Women................................ 36,898 100.0 42.2 41.0 1.3 14.4 23.8 1.3 13.3 3.4
Age
Total, 16 years and over................ 64,252 100.0 41.6 41.9 1.3 15.3 23.8 1.2 13.0 3.6
16 to 24 years........................ 8,578 100.0 40.8 40.3 .5 16.6 21.2 1.9 14.0 5.0
16 to 19 years..................... 4,436 100.0 38.8 44.3 .1 15.9 26.3 1.9 13.1 3.8
20 to 24 years..................... 4,142 100.0 42.9 35.9 .8 17.4 15.8 1.9 14.9 6.3
25 years and over..................... 55,674 100.0 41.7 42.1 1.5 15.1 24.2 1.1 12.8 3.4
25 to 34 years..................... 9,691 100.0 40.3 43.5 2.3 18.1 21.8 1.2 12.7 3.5
35 to 44 years..................... 12,566 100.0 42.2 42.5 1.5 13.9 26.1 .9 12.4 2.8
45 to 54 years..................... 13,420 100.0 40.8 42.5 1.5 14.2 25.4 1.1 13.2 3.5
55 to 64 years..................... 10,449 100.0 41.4 42.1 1.5 15.7 23.5 1.1 13.0 3.5
65 years and over.................. 9,547 100.0 44.1 39.6 .3 14.3 23.4 1.4 12.8 3.4
Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
White................................... 54,432 100.0 41.7 42.3 1.4 15.6 23.9 1.3 12.6 3.4
Black or African American............... 5,934 100.0 43.5 37.4 1.1 11.9 23.0 1.2 14.2 4.8
Asian................................... 2,304 100.0 38.8 42.4 1.3 14.5 25.7 .6 14.8 4.0
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity............ 5,151 100.0 45.0 40.1 1.4 14.6 22.2 1.7 11.3 3.7
Educational attainment (3)
Less than a high school diploma......... 2,461 100.0 43.4 42.3 .5 14.8 25.1 1.7 11.4 2.9
High school graduates, no college (4)... 11,049 100.0 41.6 41.8 1.2 16.5 23.0 1.0 12.9 3.7
Some college or associate degree ....... 15,946 100.0 40.6 42.3 1.5 14.8 24.6 1.1 14.0 3.2
Bachelor's degree and higher (5)........ 26,218 100.0 42.3 42.1 1.6 14.8 24.4 1.1 12.2 3.4
Marital status
Single, never married................... 14,744 100.0 40.8 40.4 1.4 17.7 19.6 1.6 14.0 4.8
Married, spouse present................. 39,289 100.0 41.2 43.1 1.3 14.3 26.2 1.0 12.5 3.1
Other marital status (6)................ 10,219 100.0 44.2 39.2 1.2 15.7 20.7 1.5 13.2 3.5
Presence of own children under
18 years (7)
Men:
No own children under 18 years old.... 18,113 100.0 40.9 42.4 1.4 17.6 22.0 1.2 12.6 4.0
With own children under 18 years old.. 9,241 100.0 40.3 44.2 1.1 14.5 27.4 1.0 12.2 3.3
Women:
No own children under 18 years old.... 23,422 100.0 43.0 39.7 1.4 16.1 20.6 1.5 13.6 3.7
With own children under 18 years old.. 13,476 100.0 40.9 43.4 1.2 11.4 29.5 1.0 12.7 3.0
Employment status
Civilian labor force.................... 45,249 100.0 40.7 42.7 1.8 16.1 23.5 1.1 13.0 3.5
Employed.............................. 41,881 100.0 40.6 43.0 1.9 16.2 23.7 1.2 12.8 3.6
Full time (8)....................... 32,517 100.0 40.6 43.0 2.2 16.4 23.2 1.1 12.7 3.7
Part time (9)....................... 9,363 100.0 40.6 43.3 .8 15.5 25.3 1.5 13.0 3.2
Unemployed............................ 3,368 100.0 42.1 38.8 .5 15.6 21.6 1.0 16.2 3.0
Not in the labor force.................. 19,003 100.0 43.7 39.8 .3 13.4 24.6 1.4 12.8 3.7
1 Main organization is defined as the organization for which the volunteer worked the most hours during the year. See
the Technical Note for more details.
2 Includes persons who did not specify who asked them to volunteer, not shown separately.
3 Data refer to persons 25 years and over.
4 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
5 Includes persons with bachelor's, professional, and doctoral degrees.
6 Includes divorced, separated, and widowed persons.
7 Own children include sons, daughters, stepchildren, and adopted children. Not included are nieces, nephews,
grandchildren, and other related and unrelated children.
8 Usually work 35 hours or more a week at all jobs.
9 Usually work less than 35 hours a week at all jobs.
NOTE: Data on volunteers relate to persons who performed unpaid volunteer activities for an organization at any point
from September 1, 2010, through the survey period in September 2011. Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or
African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity
is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.
