Mahoning Valley ranks low in U.S. for volunteerism

YOUNGSTOWN — A national study has ranked the Youngstown Metropolitan Statistical Area, with an average volunteer rate of 21.2 percent, 71st among 75 midsize metropolitan areas surveyed.

The Youngstown MSA includes Trumbull and Mahoning counties in Ohio and Mercer County in Pennsylvania.

According to the survey, which looked at the years 2005-07, the Youngstown MSA had an average of 94,000 volunteers serving 13.5 million hours per year, with each volunteer giving an average of 30.3 hours per year, for a ranking of 57th among midsize MSAs.

Church-related work is considered volunteering, and according to the report, 36.4 percent of Youngstown MSA volunteers do so through a religious organization.

While the volunteering numbers in the Youngstown MSA are low, Corrie Adams, Volunteer Services projects coordinator, said the agency does not gauge volunteerism by numbers alone.

“When we evaluate the success of our volunteer programs, we look as much at the impact on the community as at the numbers,” Adams said.

Ohio’s average volunteer rate of 30.3 percent was 23rd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the study, which was based on a telephone survey of 60,000 people in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 50 large and 75 midsize cities. The study was produced by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.