from U.S.A. Today:

Recession may be behind rising ranks of volunteers

More Americans, especially women, are giving their time and energy to good causes, a new government report says.

From September 2008 to September 2009, 63.4 million Americans, 26.8% of the population, volunteered with organizations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That’s 1.6 million more than the year before.

Most of the growth can be attributed to more female volunteers, says Stephanie Boraas, a BLS economist. About 1.2 million more women volunteered in 2009 than in 2008.

“Women have always been more likely to volunteer than men,” says Leslie Lenkowsky, professor of public affairs and philanthropic studies at Indiana University.