There’s never too much when it comes to volunteering. Several groups discovered that on Thanksgiving.
At locations dishing out free servings of turkey, ham and all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner last month, there were more volunteers ready to step up for their communities than there were openings to work. That was according to Steve Sadin’s Nov. 28 front-page story in The News-Sun.
At Big Ed’s BBQ and Most Blessed Trinity Soup Kitchen, both in Waukegan, so many sought to volunteer that organizers of the free feasts had to turn them away. Too many volunteers, like chefs, apparently can spoil the broth. The volunteer roster at the soup kitchen on 8th Street also is full for its gratis Christmas Day dinner.
That’s a blessing considering that many think we’ve become a nation of Scrooges after the outcome of the Nov. 5 election. That we’ll disregard the needs of our fellow Americans as we worry mainly about ourselves and perceived economic distress.
Around the holidays, the opposite seems to be true, as the examples of the food giveaways determined last month. Kindness and generosity surface during the season.
Tips flow freely at restaurants and bars, maybe oiled by holiday cheer. In addition, donations to charities such as Toys for Tots and other worthy community causes find what Benjamin Franklin noted at America’s founding — “A good conscience is a continual Christmas.”
Wallets and hearts are opened generously as folks, powered by giving, strive to make a difference. And they celebrate it.
The actions seen last month counter data that shows volunteerism in America has been declining since the 1950s. Compared to other decades, the number of people donating their time has dropped as we grow more mobile, busier and know less about our neighbors, according to several studies.
According to a U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps survey, about 23% of Americans volunteer with a formal nonprofit — including churches, schools and food banks — at least once a year. An estimated 63 million American adults volunteer annually.
A United Nations Volunteers Program survey in 2018 found Americans donated more of their time than any other nation, even more so than in countries with far larger populations, like China and India. However, when measured on a per capita basis, residents of Canada and Luxembourg volunteered more than Americans.
As the richest nation in the world, we often forget we also have our struggles and ignore that volunteerism is contributing free labor on behalf of good work. As someone once told me with a smile while working at a Waukegan school, “Volunteers don’t get paid because they’re priceless.”
The same can be said of the reward volunteers receive donating their time and giving back for the public’s welfare. Many folks follow the advice of the late tennis super star Arthur Ashe when it comes to volunteer work: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
The U.S. has had a long history of volunteerism, beginning with the above-mentioned Benjamin Franklin who organized the nation’s first unpaid fire company in Philadelphia in 1736. That fire service begat similar volunteer fire brigades across a nascent nation, which depended on personal sacrifices to care for each other.
Donating time increased during the Revolutionary War, and continued with the founding of volunteer organizations, such as the American Red Cross in 1881, and other clubs and social lodges. General Electric created the first matching gift program in 1954, kicking off corporate volunteerism.
A number of Lake County-based firms have employees who contribute paid time off and talents throughout the year to assist nonprofits and other charitable organizations. Some high schools foster volunteerism by making it a graduation requirement.
Volunteerism is a social contract among us. It got a boost from President John Kennedy in his 1961 inauguration speech when he exhorted Americans: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”
The Kennedy administration went on to found the Peace Corps and the War on Poverty, a mix of federal projects and community volunteering to maintain the social safety net. That arrangement continues to this day, so far.
With great success, it seems, at least in Lake County. Volunteers in Waukegan last month helped prep ingredients, cooked the food, worked serving meals and directed traffic for those lined up for hearty dinners.
Undoubtedly, these same volunteers will be on the job at various sites across the region in the coming holiday weeks. We should follow their ideals.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor.
sellenews@gmail.com
X: @sellenews
