Americans volunteer more with religious groups

WASHINGTON — A survey conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service shows that Americans primarily volunteer their time through religious organizations. Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and a “volunteering” supplement in the Current Population Survey, the report found that 34.8 percent of U.S. volunteers serve at religious organizations — outpacing educational and community organizations. Using Independent Sector’s estimate of the value of a volunteer’s time, religious volunteerism in America was worth about $51.4 billion, the report said. Overall 65.4 million (28.8 percent) of American adults volunteered a total of 8.2 billion hours in 2005, equating to a value of $147.6 billion.