Baby Boomer Volunteers

The American Baby Boom generation is crossing age 50, and many are nearing retirement. Those people born in the 20 years following World War II, 80 million strong, will enjoy the longest life span of any previous generation. They are highly educated, will have extraordinary levels of health and wealth, and will be available to contribute to society at unprecedented levels. For nonprofit organizations, this swell in the number of potential volunteers offers a significant opportunity for increasing programs and services—and a significant challenge as well, as the swell in older volunteers will likely be coupled with a rise in the demand for programs and services directed toward the aging population. Nonprofit organizations need to plan for the training and supervision of this larger number of volunteers, for providing them with meaningful and fruitful service experiences, and for matching volunteering opportunities with their levels of skill and areas of interest.

The aging of the Baby Boom generation presents great opportunities for nonprofits that prepare to engage them and their talents. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the over-50 population will grow by 18.3 million people (or 23%) over the next ten years, becoming nearly one-third of the American population. Of this group, those 50 – 64 will show the largest increase, growing by 13.9 million people (or 31%). These people, primarily still employed and in their highest income years, are the most generous age group in terms of annual charitable giving. The over-65 age group will grow by 4.4 million people (or 12%) to become 13 percent of the population. People in this age group, primarily retired, are more likely to be regular volunteers (those who give their time weekly or nearly every week) and give more hours than do other age groups. In short, nonprofit organizations can expect a natural increase in the number of high givers, the number of people available to volunteer on a regular basis, and the number of hours offered to fulfill their program and service needs. To capitalize on this impending opportunity, nonprofits will need to change their approaches to recruiting volunteers and organizing service experiences.

From Independent Sector