Living In USA

In addition to the time spent on personal pursuits, Americans volunteer a tremendous amount of time for the varied needs of their communities. It has been said that if all the volunteers of the country withdrew, the nation would come to a halt. This would include people working in hospitals, schools, libraries, museums, playgrounds, community centers, welfare projects, clinics, and so on. Why do so many Americans volunteer to work long, hard hours, often at dull and disagreeable work, without pay? What is their motive?

There are several answers. The concept of cooperating for mutual benefit, a sense of interlocking responsibility, and a willingness to work together are all deeply rooted in American history. The original pioneer settlers had to work together to survive. They had crossed dangerous seas and risked all they had in their struggle for political and religious freedom. They helped each other clear land, build homes, and harvest crops. Americans have traditionally valued their freedom and independence, and they still do. Deep-seated distrust of central government still remains in all aspects of American life. People still prefer to do things themselves within their communities rather than give a government agency control or wait for its bureaucratic delays.

Sometimes Americans volunteer because they want to achieve something for which no money is paid. So they come together to contribute their energies — as is also done elsewhere. They may work together to put a new roof on a church, to send parcels to flood victims, to provide summer holidays for underprivileged children, to build a new playground, or to clean up a polluted stream. People will give time after a long, hard day to work on a town zoning commission, school board, or planning committee. They care about their towns.

Hundreds of thousands of so-called leisure hours go into hard, sustained, unpaid work on one or another community need. As you read the local newspapers, you will see that Americans are constantly forming new kinds of citizens' groups for some of the following reasons: to improve the lot of migrant workers, to take action against some form of discrimination, to fight crime, to elect an official, to protect consumers from fraud, to fight against drugs or drunk driving, or to do away with a pesticide that is killing wildlife.

One does not need to be a citizen to join in such activities. Once you settle into a community (even a big city), you will soon be aware of the varieties of volunteer projects going on around you. Anyone who is interested in sharing this side of American life will greatly deepen his or her understanding of the country. You can start by calling a volunteer center or contacting a local church, temple, mosque, synagogue, community center, or other organization. Asking neighbors about what is available often elicits a helpful response. Or if you read about something that interests you in the local paper, contact the organization and offer your time or help. Most people welcome assistance if they do not have to pay for it. This kind of volunteering may open interesting doors to you as well.