Where to Volunteer or Donate to Assist All in Need Due to the BP Oil Spill Disaster Because Two Different Recent Studies Find Volunteers Feel Healthier and Happier & Volunteerism Is On the Rise in America

Volunteering with a nonprofit (in whatever capacity one wishes, for whichever organization a person wishes) is not only very healthy for you; a recent study found; more Americans are volunteering than ever before and the increasingly higher numbers than before, another recent study found! 

Given the findings (as if you needed to be motivated to volunteer with a good cause, if you have the time and ability to do so, right?!), and with the BP Oil Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico continuing, I encourage you to look over the following posts that list where anyone who wishes to do so may volunteer to assist with various different needs (local people, wildlife, and oil cleanup.  These posts also feature real, legitimate, safe nonprofits where if you wish to donate to assist in the causes, instead of volunteering, you can.  Please see...

About.com's Nonprofit's host, Joanne Fritz's,  "How You Can Help the Gulf Recover From the Oil Spill"

CNN's "How to help Gulf oil disaster, even if you can't make it there"

CNN lists additional organizations to donate to or volunteer with in "Volunteers recruited to help in oil spill threat"

In a recent survey, over 4,500 seniors were asked about how their volunteer work effects them.  The benefits that they perceived were wholly higher compared to the responses from the portion of the survey respondents who do not volunteer.  Also, despite the economic recession volunteerism is apparently on the rise, across all demographics, in America.; another separate study has found.

United Health Group which provides innovation and technologies for health care, asked over 4,500 senior citizens who volunteer regularly in the United Healthcare/Volunteer Match Do Good, Live Well survey, how they physically feel as volunteers and 68% of those who volunteered said that they physically feel healthier, among other positive benefits that they get from their volunteer work.  87% of those who volunteer said that they feel that they are aging well compared to 78% of those who do not volunteer.  86% feel younger than their age compared to 72% who do not volunteer.  69% responded that they feel good about aging compared to 59% of seniors who do not volunteer.  The study also found that respondents who volunteer stated that volunteering keeps you healthy, lowers stress levels, and gives you purpose in life, among other findings.  For the entire study's findings and results click the United Healthcare/Volunteer Match Do Good, Live Well survey link, above.

Similarly, the Corporation for National & Community Services June 15, 2010 issued a press release, the Volunteering in America report, states that despite the recent recession, a federal study found that the largest increase in volunteerism, since 2003, occurred in 2009.  According to the press release, 63.4 million Americans volunteered in 2009 giving 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service, estimated in value at $169 billion.

To quote the press release:

"Previous research would suggest that volunteering should drop during an economic downturn, because volunteer rates are higher among job-holders and homeowners. Instead, volunteering increased at the fastest rate in six years, and the volunteer rate went up among all race and ethnic groups."