Earlier this week, President Bush released a USA Freedom Corps report at the White House that noted, "...increasing rates of service among the young and a greater commitment to volunteer service among older Americans...represent an opportunity for the country to marshal the talents of 'Millennials' and 'Baby Boomers' to tackle tough community problems."

However despite the commitment to volunteer noted by the President, the AARP report found that most older Americans (55%) believe they will leave the world in worse condition than it was. Fortunately, they have the potential to improve it through volunteering, with four in ten - approximately 45 million people - planning to increase their volunteer work in the next five years.
"The good news is that today's 50+ Americans have been volunteering their time and talents for decades, and they're ready to do more," said AARP Chief Operating Officer Tom Nelson. "The bad news is that our country needs it. Boomers and older Americans fear the American Dream is slipping away, but they're ready to turn it around again."

More to Give was authored by three leading experts in American civic engagement: John Bridgeland, CEO of Civic Enterprises and former Director of the USA Freedom Corps; Robert D. Putnam, the author of Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community; and former U.S. Senator Harris Wofford, who served as Special Assistant to President Kennedy during the launch of the Peace Corps.

The report was produced as part of ServiceNation, a national call to action to solve some of America's toughest challenges through volunteerism. ServiceNation will launch on Sept. 11 and 12 in New York City. Senators John McCain and Barack Obama will participate in a forum on service on Sept. 11. First Lady Laura Bush, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Caroline Kennedy, Alma Powell, Mayor Mike Bloomberg, AARP CEO Bill Novelli and many others will then participate in a full-day forum on Sept. 12 to develop ways to engage individual volunteers and encourage service by increasing opportunities and resources.
Co-author John Bridgeland said, "The Boomer, Silent and Greatest Generations represent nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population today and want to meet real needs in their communities. Their ideas and insights point the way to how we can more effectively engage them and marry their talents and lifetime of experience with urgent needs like high school dropout and helping older Americans live independently in their homes."

Robert Putnam commented, "I've called the Greatest Generation the 'long civic generation' - those who volunteered, gave to charities, trusted one another and key institutions, and participated politically at higher rates than generations before or since. I hope that we can meet the Boomer and Silent Generation where they are and fashion sensible ways to engage them more deeply; even a modest increase in their civic engagement could make a world of difference."

Harris Wofford said, "Our generation lived through the Great Depression, served in World War II, supported the Marshall Plan and set the pace for civic action. Every generation of Americans seeks purpose and is ready to be called to serve. We need a national dialogue that helps unlock the talents and skills of these next two generations of experienced Americans."

Other key findings from More to Give:

-- Respondents are motivated to help others. Over half (52%) of respondents said that the desire to "help people in need" was an extremely important motivation for volunteering, followed by 48% who cited the desire to "stay healthy and active" as a motivation to volunteer.
-- Many respondents are interested in helping the young and old. 40% are most interested in mentoring or tutoring young people, and 38% are most interested in helping older people live independently.
-- Greater access to education and health care are two key motivators among respondents. Over half of boomers surveyed (55%) said that education awards they can earn and give to a child in exchange for significant levels of volunteer service would have a big or moderate impact on their participation in volunteer activities. Similarly, nearly half of boomer respondents (47%) cited access to group health insurance as another key incentive to volunteer. These incentives are most appealing to African Americans and Hispanics.
-- Respondents are not impeded by health or caregiving issues. A majority of older adult respondents (53%) said they are unimpeded by health or caregiving for relatives in their home.
-- Lack of time and the need to make money are perceived as barriers to volunteering. Among the chief barriers to volunteerism, include a perceived lack of time (70%) or need to make money (54%). Most Americans from the baby boomer and silent generations expressed an interest in volunteering without a regular schedule.
-- Volunteerism split among party affiliation. Among those surveyed, Republicans reported volunteering more than Democrats (83% - 67%), which is likely due to their greater tendency of regularly attending religious services.
-- Women are more likely to volunteer now and in future. Among those surveyed, women are currently volunteering more than men (76% - 70%). Women are also more likely to increase their service in the next few years (44% - 38%), particularly among boomer women (50%).
-- Boomers, Hispanics and African Americans were the most likely to expect an increase in their volunteer service, as are those who attend religious services, vote and are healthy.

Nelson added: "AARP was founded with the motto, 'To Serve, Not to Be Served,' and we've been engaging volunteers for fifty years. We are putting a high priority on increasing the number and involvement of 50+ volunteers, which will not only help keep them active and healthy, but will help meet our country's urgent needs."

The report notes that while the absolute levels of volunteering, actual and prospective, reported should be taken with a grain of salt, the authors are confident of comparisons within groups of volunteers, the existence of significant untapped potential, their attitudes and behaviors toward volunteer service, the motivations and barriers for doing so, and their preferences and insights that can strongly inform initiatives and policymaking.

To get involved in your community, or for more information, please visit http://www.aarp.org/CreateTheGood or http://www.civicenterprises.net.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 33 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 40 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.