Companies often encourage employees to volunteer with community organizations such as the American Conference on Diversity. The Independent Sector places the monetary value on volunteering at $20.85 per hour.  (Indepentdentsector.org)

 

In 2009, approximately 26.8% of the adult American population volunteers an average of 8.1 hours of service. However, New Jersey ranked #47 in the volunteer rate of its residents in the years 2007-2009.(Corporation for National and Community Service)

 

Some studies suggest ethnic differences in the type of organization in which people choose to volunteer. Using the 2005-2007 Current Population Survey's Annual Volunteer Supplement, John Foster-Bey found that "blacks appear to be more likely to vounteer with religious organizations than either whites, Aisans or Latinos.  On the other heand, Latino appear to be more likely to volunteer in educational and youth service organizations than blacks, whites or Asians." (J. Foster-Bey. Do Race, Ethnicity, Citizenship and Socio-economic Status Determine Civic-Engagement? 2009)