Passionate Steward - 10th Anniversary Edition

28 THE PASSIONATE STEWARD
households which gave to charity, contributions were $2,295
from volunteers, and $1,009 from non-volunteers.
• Households with people attending religious services “on a
regular basis, at least once or twice a month, gave more than
twice as much annually as those who were not regular
attendees.” 7
• “People who regularly attended religious services
volunteered at a much higher rate (54%)” than those who did
not attend religious services on a regular basis (32%). 8
• People were “much more likely to volunteer” when asked
(63%) than to step forward unasked (25%). 9
• The average number of hours per week, per volunteer, was
3.7–3.8 hours, 10 and the estimated hourly rate of volunteer
time was approximately $15.40 per hour. 11
Despite such promising signs amongst donors and volunteers,
it should be noted that in the United States, the number of people
giving to religious causes continues to decline. In the late 1990s
alone, Independent Sector’s national survey indicated that the
“percentage of total respondents giving to religion declined from
48% in 1995 to 45% in 1998.” 12 According to the United States
Census Bureau, this would mean some 8.1 million Americans
7 Independent Sector, “Giving in the United States,” Giving and Volunteering
in the United States, Key Findings (Washington D.C.: Independent Sector, 2001).
8 Ibid. “Volunteering in the United States.”
9 Ibid.
10 Independent Sector, “The Demographics of Household Contributors and
Volunteers,” Giving and Volunteering in the United States, Findings from a National
Survey (Washington D.C.: Independent Sector, 1999).
11 Independent Sector, “Volunteering in the United States,” Giving and
Volunteering in the United States, Key Findings (Washington D.C.: Independent
Sector, 2001). Independent Sector bases the hourly value of volunteer time on the
average wage of non-agricultural workers, as given each year by The Economic
Report of the President, plus a 12 % allowance for fringe benefits.
12 Independent Sector, “The Relationship Between Religious Involvement and
Charitable Behaviour,” Giving and Volunteering in the United States, Findings from a
National Survey (Washington D.C.: Independent Sector, 1999).