National Volunteer Week: How volunteering is changing and where Minnesota ranks
MINNEAPOLIS -- Overall volunteerism numbers are down, impacting many service organizations. One Twin Cities not-for-profit is empowering its clients and employees to give back in a big way. And it's working.
Employees at Thrivent, a financial services company, are celebrating non-monetary numbers.
"Since 2014 we have reached 1 million action teams. That is affecting roughly 9 million volunteers," said Katie Knutson, corporate responsibility manager for Thrivent.
The Thrivent action teams program gives clients the tools and resources to support the causes and programs most important to them and their communities.
"It could be a pancake fundraiser. It could be a meal at a homeless shelter. It could be creating dog toys for the humane society," said Knutson.
Clients and employees also give back globally. Thrivent celebrated the milestones by building water filters for "Wine to Water," a non-profit that provides clean water to the nearly one billion people worldwide who lack access to it.
Employees are empowered to give back in any they can.
"It's so much a part of who we are, it's in our DNA," said Emily Hendren, action teams manager for Thrivent.
The importance of generosity is what drew Hendren to Thrivent.
"We are this organization that puts give back to the forefront. Not only for our employees, and for me in my role but also for our clients," said Hendren.
Volunteerism is more important than ever in the post-pandemic era.
Formal volunteer participation across the country fell to 23.2% between 2019 and 2021 — a 7% drop, the largest the U.S. Census survey has recorded since it began tracking it in 2002.
Minnesota still ranks third in formal volunteering at 35.5% participation behind only Utah & Wyoming while Wisconsin ranks 26.
Hendren sees it firsthand in her job. She sees the 2021 numbers as more of a shift than a decline.
"While there has been a dip overall to showing up for more formal volunteerism, that kind of grassroots, in the moment I'm going to help my neighbor out is increasing because it's easy to access. It's easy to do," said Hendren.
Now that people are getting back out more, Minnesotans are looking for more volunteering opportunities -- formal and informal.
"We know that people are hungry for it. They want that networking, but then the most important thing is what can we do to help? We need to show up," said Knutson.