Jobless Volunteers

In light of today's dwindling economy and President Obama's call to be of public service, people all over the country have been looking for ways to fill their newly found free time by volunteering. Non-profit organizations have encountered a large influx in the number of volunteers in a somewhat catch-22 situation: they have all they help they could possibly need (and then some), but no funding from the government to fully take advantage of the new workforce.

In an article by the New York Times, Julie Bosman follows this trend in a number of non-profits in the New York area and talks to some of the volunteers. Most of the people were at the top of their game when economic struggles hit their company and they were laid off. From working 100 hours a week to nothing, the recently unemployed are looking for a positive way to fill their days while also searching for job opportunities.

“It’s sad but true,” Ms. Ceccarelli [senior Vice President at United Way] said , “but the irony is that sometimes it’s almost more work to find something for a volunteer to do than to just turn them away.”

While most non-profits are doing their best to take advantage of the volunteers, they are also bracing themselves for when the economy picks up again and they lose this large group of skilled workers.