All in the Family

The Independent Sector’s report, “Engaging Youth in Lifelong Service” (November 2002), found that the practice of volunteering begins, many times, in early, formative years. In fact, two-thirds of adult volunteers surveyed began giving their time as children. In addition, young volunteers are more likely to contribute to charities when they get older, meaning organizations establishing relationships with youths and cultivating those relationships into adulthood stand to substantially benefit from the future generosity of these valuable constituents.