WASHINGTON, D.C. - Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of USA Freedom Corps Desiree T. Sayle welcomed today’s new study released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showing that an increased number of Americans participated in volunteer service in the past year.

BLS, part of the U.S. Department of Labor, reported that the number of volunteers rose from September 2004 to September 2005. About 65.4 million people participated in volunteer work at least once during the study period, up from 64.5 million for the similar period ended in September 2004. This marks an increase of more than 5.6 million volunteers since President Bush made his Call to Service in 2002, the first year of the study. The percentage of the American population who volunteered during the past year remained at the same level as in 2004 at 28.8 percent.

“We’ve seen a tremendous increase in volunteer service among Americans over the past four years,” Sayle said. “Today’s numbers show that our Nation’s commitment to volunteer service remains strong.”

“President Bush created USA Freedom Corps to encourage more Americans to volunteer and make a difference in the lives of others. When Americans volunteer, our Nation is strengthened one person, one neighborhood, one community at a time. As today’s BLS study reveals, a significant portion of the population is committed to service, but there is still more work to do, and USA Freedom Corps remains committed to helping all Americans answer the President’s Call to Service,” Sayle said.

One fourth of men and about one third of women participated in volunteer work in the year ended September 2005, about the same proportions as in the two prior years. Women volunteered at a higher rate than men across age groups, educational levels, and other major characteristics. Persons age 35 to 44 were the most likely to volunteer (34.5 percent), closely followed by 45 to 54 year olds (32.7 percent). Married persons volunteered at a higher rate (34.1 percent) than never married persons (23.0 percent).

The volunteer service indicator is an annual national measurement of volunteer behavior developed by the Census Bureau and BLS with USA Freedom Corps and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The data was collected through a supplement to the September 2005 Current Population Survey, a monthly survey of 60,000 households. For more information, visit: http://www.bls.gov/cps.

USA Freedom Corps, an Office of the White House, was created by President Bush in his 2002 State of the Union Address to strengthen and expand volunteer service by Americans. For more information about getting involved in the President’s Call to Service, please visit http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov or call 1-877-USA-CORPS.

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