By stufflovely
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Sixty-five percent of Americans said the pandemic has provided them with a “wake-up call” to reach out to their communities.
And a new survey of 2,000 Americans revealed that more than half are doing it as volunteers.
In fact, 52% reported that they volunteered in their communities for the first time as a result of the circumstances brought on by the pandemic.
Delivering food to essential workers (35%), volunteering to help the elderly or disabled maintain their homes (23%), and volunteering at a food pantry (20%) were some of the most common ways in that respondents had volunteered since the start of the pandemic.
However, seven in 10 respondents reported that while the effects of COVID-19 on their community made them more eager to volunteer, they have hesitated due to safety concerns.
The survey also looked at safety precautions that would make them feel safer while helping out in their communities.
Among those who agreed that they had been hesitant to volunteer due to safety concerns, 56% reported they were concerned about the availability of hand washing and sanitizing stations, making this the most common concern.
Other common concerns among this group included whether or not the wearing of masks would be required on site (50%) and whether social distancing would be mandatory (44%).
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“To avoid supply anxiety in the workplace, be sure to bring your own bottle of hand sanitizer to help keep yourself and others safe,” said Tara Merkle of Muse Health Hand Sanitizer, who sponsored the survey.
For more than a third of those surveyed, the motivation to volunteer came from close to home. 35% reported that their main reason for stepping up was to know about friends and neighbors in need, which made them want to contribute.
And 17% said their friends and neighbors who were helping inspired them to do the same.
The increase in volunteering may also continue after the pandemic, according to the survey, conducted by OnePoll.
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73% agreed that while donating money or items to help the community is great, using their hands to get out there and get the job done is more satisfying.
Best of all, nearly seven in 10 reported that as more people get vaccinated, they hope to increase the time they spend volunteering.
MOST COMMON VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES SINCE THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC
Delivering food to essential workers (35%)
Volunteer to help elderly or disabled neighbors maintain their homes (23%)
Collection of items for food pantries (21%)
Volunteering at a food pantry (20%)
Blood donation (19%)
“It is commendable and encouraging to see so many Americans coming together to help their communities during this challenging time,” added Tara, whose company celebrates the selfless people who are giving back.
Need more positive stories and updates on the COVID-19 challenge? For a more uplifting coverage, Click here.
VOLUNTEER to share this super positive trend on social media to encourage more …
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