Is time more valuable than money?

• Position: Volunteer Service

The majority of American adults performed some form of volunteer service in 2004, and most volunteers maintained that their motivation was to act on their moral values, a national Thrivent Financial for Lutherans survey reports. Fifty-seven percent indicate they had volunteered with a nonprofit organization or charitable cause in 2004, up nine percentage points from a year earlier.

Seventy-five percent of those who volunteer say that acting on their moral values was either an absolutely important or very important factor in why they volunteer. This compares with 47% who volunteer to gain new experiences, 42% because they were helped by a volunteer in the past, and 39% due to a desire to meet other people.

"Most Americans see volunteerism as a means to connect their faith and values with their actions," notes Brad Hewitt, Thrivent Financial senior vice president of volunteer outreach. "Volunteerism at its best enables people to give selflessly of themselves to others and to develop rewarding relationships and skills. Based on the number of Americans volunteering, it appears this is taking place."

Different generations of Americans place relatively greater emphasis on various motives for volunteering. Young adults (age 18-34) were more likely than other age groups to say that gaining new experiences was a major motivation for volunteering (59%), while seniors (age 65 and above) were most likely to...