We have glimpsed what a new culture of responsibility could look like. We want to be a nation that serves goals larger than self.
— President George W. Bush

From their founding of colonial public libraries and volunteer fire departments, Americans long have demonstrated their eagerness to build public institutions and help their fellow citizens by donating their time, labor and money. America's federal, state, and local governments value these efforts highly and have increasingly encouraged Americans to continue and expand their volunteerism.

During World War II, the U.S. Department of Agriculture urged Americans to alleviate wartime food shortages by planting their own vegetable and fruit gardens. Nearly 20 million responded, and by 1943 these "Victory Gardens" produced nearly 40 percent of the vegetables grown in the United States. By tilling private yards, urban rooftops and land donated by private industry, these volunteer farmers did their part for the war effort.

During the subsequent Cold War period, national leaders came to view individual Americans' abundant talent, energy, and altruistic spirit as a valuable and tangible way to earn the respect of other peoples. Properly organized and supported, their efforts could help citizens of the newly emerging nations by alleviating poverty and spurring economic development. They also could improve American society and help make it more of a model for others.

Government-Funded Volunteerism

Not unsurprisingly in a diverse society, American leaders adopted a number of approaches to encourage their fellow citizens' volunteer efforts. One was to expend government funds and resources on specific volunteer programs. The Peace Corps is one example. In his 1961 Inaugural Address, President John F. Kennedy issued a call to service: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." These volunteer efforts, Kennedy said, "can truly light the world." Later that year, he created the Peace Corps. The Corps trained volunteers in skills needed in health and education, and agricultural projects, then matched them with requests from foreign governments. By 1966, some 15,000 Americans were serving in nearly 4 dozen countries. President George W. Bush has pledged to double the size of the Peace Corps.

Kennedy's successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson, introduced a number of government initiatives to encourage and utilize volunteer efforts. Among them were the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program, sometimes called the domestic Peace Corps, and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) which matches volunteers aged 55 and older with service opportunities ranging from building houses to immunizing children and protecting the environment. Today, rsvp and two other programs—the Foster Grandparent Program, which matches senior volunteers with vulnerable young people who need mentoring and support, and the Senior Companion Program, in which volunteers assist older Americans who have difficulty with simple day-to-day tasks like shopping and light chores—comprise Senior Corps, and afford opportunities for more than half a million volunteers.

A number of Presidents have been associated with this approach. From Richard M. Nixon's action agency to Bill Clinton's AmeriCorps, leaders have used government to channel Americans philanthropic energies for the common good.

Government Promotes Volunteerism

Even as many Americans advocated government-run volunteer programs, many others believed that government's role should be to limited to supplying information for private organizations and individual volunteers to identify community needs. Public-spirited Americans, they argued, would organize themselves. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan established the White House Office of Private Sector Initiatives and worked to encourage businesses and the private sector to organize volunteer opportunities.

In his 1991 State of the Union Address, Reagan's successor, George H.W. Bush, memorably said "We can find meaning and reward by serving some purpose higher than ourselves — a shining purpose, the illumination of a thousand points of light." Today, the Points of Light Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization, connects citizens to volunteer opportunities. It operates a national volunteerism web portal: 1-800-volunteer.org, and variety of other programs and services to encourage people and businesses from all walks of life to volunteer their efforts to help their communities and their fellow citizens.

In his January 2002 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years—the equivalent of 4,000 hours—in service to their communities, their country and the world. Bush's USA Freedom Corps works to strengthen the non-profit sector, recognize volunteers, and help connect individuals with volunteer opportunities.

Regardless of whether they volunteer through a government-run program or a private-sector organization, Americans bring the same ethic of hard work and a caring spirit to their volunteer duties. We see that spirit in the words of Senior Corps volunteer Pernicie Welch of Mendenhall, Mississippi:

I have been a volunteer with Simpson County RSVP since June 2001, volunteering at the Old Pearl Community Center and the Copiah Living Nursing Home.

During Hurricane Katrina, I lost [electric] power. Fortunately, it was quickly restored, and, when it was, I plugged the freezers of three other families into my own power. Using my gas stove, I also cooked for several families. I washed clothes for 21 people; went to the local fire station to pick up ice, water, and MRE meals [packaged, prepared meals originally developed for the military] to deliver to families; donated clothes to those who lost everything; and provided refreshments for utility workers. I also joined a group of others and put on a carnival for the community.

Despite all of this, I wish I could have done more.

While American leaders offer different visions of how government might encourage individual initiatives, all endorse volunteerism as a glory of American life. None would disagree with the 1986 words of Ronald Reagan, who called volunteer work "an aspect of the American character that is as fundamental to our way of life as our freedom to speak, assemble, and worship."

State and Local Initiatives

While these federal initiatives provide many opportunities, volunteerism remains predominately a state and local phenomenon. Even as some Americans travel the world to help the needy, many concentrate their efforts on their family, friends, and local community. State and local governments have accordingly fashioned a number of initiatives to help those generous Americans find suitable outlets for their generosity.

The state of West Virginia, for instance, created a Commission for National and Community Service. The commission encourages citizens of that state to make "life around them richer and better through their donations of time and effort." The commission offers training, a volunteer-organization matching program, and other services. In California, a network of 28 Volunteer Centers refers over 650,000 volunteers each year to approximately 40,000 community-based organizations.

Local municipalities eagerly seek volunteer help, and many citizens are glad to pitch in—to gain valuable skills, to meet new friends, or just to help. The city of Loveland, Colorado (population 58,000), interviews prospective volunteers about their goals, work skills, and volunteer experiences. Volunteers are placed in the city's parks and recreation department, library, volunteer fire department, and other parts of city government. Members of Loveland's volunteer Snow Squad, for instance, shovel snow from the driveways of elderly and disabled residents.

One might list as many examples of volunteerism as there are American communities, and more. The impulse to help remains a vital part of Americans' lives. They accept as an organizing principle in their lives the words of the educator Booker T. Washington: "If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."

Michael Jay Friedman is a staff writer with the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Information Programs.

For further information on government efforts in support of citizen involvement, see Paul C. Light, "The Volunteering Decision: What Prompts It? What Sustains It?" The Brookings Review, vol. 20, no. 4 (Fall 2002), pp 45-47. Public domain posters are available at http://library.thinkquest.org/15511/museum/garden.htm.

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