CARSON CITY - Nevada Volunteers, the Governor's Commission on Service, and the Nevada Office of the Corporation for National and Community Service, are excited to announce that the volunteer rate in Nevada has increased, moving Nevada from 50th in 2010 to 48th (Volunteering and Civic Life in America) in the nation. In 2011, the national volunteer rate was 26.8 percent, with Nevada's rate at 22.2 percent for 2011, an increase from 20.7 percent in 2010.
Along with the increase in the volunteer rates, the report, issued by the Corporation for national and Community Service (CNCS) in partnership with the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), found that schools and other youth service organizations are one of the most popular places to volunteer, playing a pivotal role in local volunteering. Specifically in Nevada, 15.5 percent reported volunteering to tutor or teach youth and 16.1 percent reported volunteering to mentor. During the 2011-12 school year, a total of 10,504 parent volunteers and 1,161 community volunteers served Washoe County schools, according to the Washoe County School District.
Nevada Volunteers, in addition to encouraging an ethic of service in all Nevadans, oversees the AmeriCorps*State programs. In 2011, the Children's Cabinet AmeriCorps*State program stationed eight AmeriCorps members in Washoe County School District high schools with the primary focus to contact parents and educate them in how to use student tracking software, notify them of any truancy incidences, and invite parents to use in-school support systems or community assistance. Those eight AmeriCorps members supported student success through parent engagement 14,767 times in Washoe County School District.
"Volunteers are a critical component of civic life. AmeriCorps boosts volunteerism by leveraging community-drive solutions with cost-effective human resources. Nevada's 308 AmeriCorps members served 259,930 hours in 2011 and recruited an additional 3,579 volunteers. This remarkable impact multiplies in Nevada each year," said Shawn Lecker-Pomaville, CEO of Nevada Volunteers.
Nevada also moved up from 51st to 50th for the percentage of older adults (individuals 65 years and older) volunteering. In 2010, Nevada's volunteer rate for older adults was 16.6 percent and in 2011 moved up a percentage point to 17.6 percent.
Lecker-Pomaville shared, "We're excited to see the state move up two places in the national rankings. We believe part of that is attributable to the statewide commitment, spearheaded by Nevada Volunteers, the Governor's Commission on Service, to promote and support volunteering. We're proud of our volunteers in Nevada, and grateful for their service. We look forward to highlighting some of these unsung heroes at the upcoming Governor's Points of Light Awards in January."
For more information about Nevada Volunteers and the Governor's Points of Light Awards, visit www.nevadavolunteers.org.
About Nevada Volunteers
Nevada Volunteers, the Governor's Commission on Service, shapes a culture of service and citizenship by bringing interested people together with important causes through volunteering and national service. Nevada Volunteers provides training to strengthen volunteer programs and track volunteer impact, provides easy access to volunteer opportunities through our website (www.nevadavolunteers.org ) and sponsors recognition programs for outstanding volunteers. Nevada Volunteers administers the Nevada AmeriCorps funding. Since 1998 Nevada Volunteers has engaged more than 2,323 Nevada AmeriCorps members in volunteer services across the state of Nevada.
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