Millions of Volunteers Honored During National Volunteer Week
Approximately 63 million Americans volunteer every year. According to AmeriCorps’s most recent annual report, 271,838 volunteers contributed 12.1 million hours of service in Jacksonville. National Volunteer Week, which takes place between April 17 and April 23, is when those volunteers and their contributions are formally acknowledged.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of the nonprofit sector. They make a meaningful contribution of time that would otherwise require paid staff, volunteering 50 hours per year on average. According to Independent Sector, volunteer service is valued at $26.32/hour in the State of Florida.
Volunteers not only give their time but their money as well. According to VolunteerHub, volunteers are almost twice as likely to donate as non-volunteers. This has been the experience of many local nonprofits. “Our volunteers gave 16,724 hours of their time but also donated $27,000 in our most recent fiscal year,” says Jennifer Ryan, CEO of Volunteers of Medicine Jacksonville.
If the name wasn’t an indication, Volunteers in Medicine is a nonprofit that is built completely around volunteers. A staff of 12 paid employees supports roughly 200 volunteers who come to Volunteer in Medicine every year to treat the working uninsured for free. Most of these volunteers are trained and certified medical professionals, making their wage equivalent much higher than the average volunteer.
The result has been that patients get as good, if not better, care than they would at a regular doctor’s office. “Every patient you see that you have a little success with is reinforcing,” said Dr. Vincent Ober, a lifelong primary care physician who treats patients at Volunteers in Medicine.
While the focus is typically on their contribution, volunteers often receive as much as they give. “We know that lives are enriched when people come to Volunteers in Medicine,” says Ryan. “Everyone leaves the clinic better off; not just the people we serve, but the volunteers who serve them as well.”
Volunteering allows people to retain skills and knowledge, or develop new skills. It helps people make and maintain connections with others. Health experts such as Mayo Clinic have shown that volunteering also has very real health benefits. Long-time volunteer Carolyn Hinkley said of her service at Volunteers in Medicine, “Being here has emotionally made me whole.”
If you are interested in volunteering with Volunteers in Medicine, visit their website, www.vimjax.org. You can also visit United Way of Northeast Florida’s website at https://uwnefl.galaxydigital.com to check out other volunteer opportunities.
Volunteer Highlights
