WASHINGTON, DC. — Missouri was ranked in the top 10 in the nation for volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey was conducted by AmeriCorps and the US Census every other year. Also, the research includes data on volunteering through organizations, informal helping, and other civic behaviors.

According to the research, Americans contributed billions of hours to their communities through formal and informal volunteerism between September 2020 and 2021 during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

However, more than 23 percent of Americans volunteered with an organization, giving more than 4.1 billion hours of service with an estimated economic value of $122.9 billion.  

Thirty percent of Missouri volunteered through an organization contributing $3.1 billion in economic value in 2021.

During the pandemic, at least 54 percent of residents living in Missouri helped their neighbors.

“The latest Volunteering and Civic Life in America research underscores a simple yet profound truth: Americans continue to serve each other and their communities,” AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith said. “While nationally we saw the first-ever decline in formal volunteering with organizations, we also saw that despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact, Americans continued to help their neighbors at similar rates to years prior.

“Whether volunteering one time or serving for a longer term, Americans can make a tremendous difference. We intend to learn from what worked well in Missouri and share that with others.”