At Height of Pandemic, More Than Half of People Age 16 and Over Helped Neighbors, 23% Formally Volunteered

Nearly 51% of the U.S. population age 16 and over, or 124.7 million people, informally helped their neighbors between September 2020 and 2021 at the height of the pandemic, according to the latest Volunteering and Civic Life in America research released today.

In response to a separate question, more than 23% of people in that age group, or 60.7 million, said they formally volunteered through an organization during the same period.

Conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps, the 2021 data show trends in formal volunteering, informal helping, and other civic behaviors nationally, at the state level, and within the 12 largest metro areas.

The research reveals that despite the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. population continued to serve each other and their communities — giving their time and talent to help others at a time of unprecedented need.

The research, released every two years, shows that those who formally volunteered gave more than 4.1 billion hours of service with an estimated economic value of $122.9 billion.

The 2021 Civic Engagement and Volunteering Supplement released today is the most comprehensive data on U.S. volunteering and civic engagement assembled.

The research reveals that despite the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. population continued to serve each other and their communities — giving their time and talent to help others at a time of unprecedented need.

They helped neighbors by doing favors like watching each other’s children, running errands, and other activities to lend a hand.

People also found new ways to help their communities during the pandemic by supporting COVID-19 testing, immunization and other public health efforts; conducting wellness checks on isolated seniors; supporting food banks; and providing virtual tutoring and mentoring to help students stay on track in school.

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