mass youth volunteerism?

Michael Pollak mpollak at panix.com
Sat Oct 23 11:58:10 PDT 1999


Does anyone know if these numbers are correct? Half of all college age kids are volunteering to help humanity?? Or are they counting careerwise internships and after school clubs?

Bill Hillsman, the Minneapolis ad man who was instrumental

in the Ventura campaign, points out that such twentysomethings are

ripe for recruitment into the political system because, far from being

slackers, they're actively involved in their communities.

"The levels of volunteerism throughout the country among young people

are skyrocketing," Mr. Hillsman says, and the statistics bear him out

dramatically. While only about 20 percent of Americans between 18 and

24 voted in the past two elections, nearly 46 percent of that same age

bracket volunteered for groups like Habitat for Humanity in 1998, up

from 38 percent in 1995, according to figures soon to be released by

Independent Sector, a coalition of volunteer organizations.

[From today's Frank Rich column in the New York Times]

__________________________________________________________________________ Michael Pollak................New York City..............mpollak at panix.com



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