Miami’s vice? City at bottom in volunteering

The high volunteer rates in Utah and several of its cities are attributed in part to civic-mindedness among the state's many Mormons, but Bill Hulterstrom, president of the Provo-based United Way of Utah County, said other factors also were at work.

"I believe that people here really feel like they can make a difference," he said. "We do not wait for others to 'fix' our problems or neighborhoods."

The CNCS, an independent federal agency, used Census Bureau data to determine its state and city rankings, which are based on three-year averages for 2005 through 2007.

In Florida, Harve Mogul, president and CEO of the United Way of Miami-Dade, said Miami's low ranking wasn't surprising because of the number of new immigrants.

"We have such a high number of recent immigrants who come from countries without the same organized philanthropy found in the United States," he said. "We've found that as people spend more time in the United States and see the value of philanthropy and community service, they are more likely to donate their time and money."

Still, Hands on Miami, which coordinates volunteer efforts for the local United Way, reported a marked increase in the number of volunteer hours: from 58,232 in its 2006-07 tally to 70,000 in 2007-08.

Lynn Heyman, who heads the volunteer program at Miami Children's Hospital, said she has 600 active volunteers at any given time, more than ever. But the hospital must hold orientations twice monthly to keep volunteers streaming in to replace departing ones.

"I don't think the days of people volunteering with an organization for years and years are still with us," Heyman said.

Volunteer coordinators at other agencies point to other possible reasons.

Ani Olmeda Gonzalez at Mercy Hospital said the tough economy was forcing some would-be volunteers to choose paid work instead. Charlotte Donn at YMCA of Greater Miami noted the city is home to many transients. And Cathy Agosti of VITAS Innovative Hospice Care noted what many others repeated.

"Busy lives," she said. "Busy lives."

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