6^th Annual Global Volunteer Month Celebrates Volunteers, Encourages Everyone to Get Involved

Points of Light announces the 6^th annual Global Volunteer Month, taking place from April 1 to April 30, 2025. The month-long event celebrates volunteers and individuals who actively support their community through volunteering and civic engagement. With low volunteer rates globally, increased demands on nonprofits, and individuals facing a loneliness and isolation epidemic, Points of Light is encouraging everyone to find at least one volunteer opportunity or organization to engage with during April to increase volunteering, support local communities and experience the personal well-being benefits of volunteering.

“As we mark another year of celebration for Global Volunteer Month, we acknowledge the ever-growing need for more volunteers worldwide and highlight the incredible impact of those already dedicating their time and energy to create positive change in their communities,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of Points of Light. “Volunteering provides many benefits to individuals and communities alike. It has the power to strengthen the social fabric of society and to build deeper, more meaningful connections for its citizens.”

Individuals are increasingly feeling disconnected from each other and their communities. Pew Research reports that only 42 percent of U.S. adults under the age of 30 feel close to people in their community. Volunteering can counteract this trend, bringing people together to transform lives, communities and conditions for the better. While 28.3 percent of Americans formally volunteer, volunteer rates globally are at just 6.5 percent. Global Volunteer Month provides an opportunity to spotlight the positive benefits of volunteering and inspire every person to take action.

There are so many ways to engage throughout the month.

• Individuals can find volunteer opportunities online at Points of Light’s Engage, the world’s largest digital hub for virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities. Use #WhyIVolunteer to share what inspires you to take action!
• Nonprofits can use the Global Volunteer Month toolkit to thank volunteers by participating in the #ThankAVolunteer campaign on April 1.

With support from campaign sponsors UPS Foundation and Phillips 66, as well as more than 250 nonprofit champions, Global Volunteer Month will be celebrated in various ways throughout April.

Global Volunteer Month National Program Partners include AARP Foundation for improving quality of life for older adults, AmeriCorps for positive impact in communities across the United States, Best Friends Animal Society for animal welfare, National Park Service for preservation and protection of the United States’ natural and cultural resources, Operation Gratitude for support of military and first responder communities, and Repair the World for creating social change through strengthened communities.

ABOUT POINTS OF LIGHT

Points of Light is a nonpartisan, global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips, and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world through volunteering and civic engagement. Through work with nonprofits, companies and social impact leaders, the organization galvanizes volunteers to meet critical needs for healthier and more equitable communities. As the world’s largest organization dedicated to increasing volunteer service, Points of Light engages more than 3.8 million volunteers across 32 countries. For more information, visit www.pointsoflight.org.