The mission of the Standard Volunteer Expo is to give potencial volunteers the opportunity to meet with organizations that need help in acomplishing their missions. The Expo filled the Square with more than 100 non-profits that serve Portland and the surrounding areas so that community members can learn about these organizations. You can still sign up to volunteer with the organization of your choice, and help make a difference in the Portland-area! According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the volunteer rate rose by 0.5 percentage point to 26.8 percent for the year ending in September 2011. About 64.3 million people volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2010 and September 2011. The increase in the volunteer rate in 2011 followed a decline of equal size in 2010. The volunteer rate of women increased from 29.3 percent to 29.9 percent in the year ending in September 2011, while the volunteer rate for men, at 23.5 percent, changed little. Women continued to volunteer at a higher rate than did men across all age groups, educational levels, and other major demographic characteristics. It looks to me like men need to do more to catch up with the women in the area of volunteerism. For a complete list of organizations at today’s Expo, click here: Volunteer Opportunities
