At a Glance
- 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence will be used to launch the country’s biggest volunteering year
- 28% of Americans volunteered this year, down from pre-pandemic levels
- $4,000 sweepstakes prize for volunteers, 250 winners
Why it matters: It seeks to revive a declining volunteer culture and build lasting community engagement across the U.S.
The U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission has announced America Gives, a program that will use the 1776 celebration to spark a surge in volunteering. The initiative aims to strengthen nonprofit volunteer pipelines beyond 2026 and relies on congressional appropriations and corporate sponsors such as Walmart and Coca-Cola.
America Gives: The Big Picture
America Gives invites participants to pledge time and log hours on an online tracker. Nonprofit partners include Girl Scouts of the USA, which will offer a volunteering badge to any of its roughly 1 million youth members who complete a service project, and Keep America Beautiful, which is leading efforts to clean up 250 million pieces of trash by the Fourth of July. JustServe – a service project coordinator sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – is sending 250 semitrucks to deliver food donations to 250 food banks across the 50 states.
Rosie Rios stated:
> “We strongly believe that this is as much about the future as it is the past,”
The program will also let volunteers enter a sweepstakes: 250 randomly selected winners will receive $4,000 to donate to an approved nonprofit partner.
Targeting Young Volunteers
About one-quarter of adults under 30 said they volunteered their time to charity or provided non-financial support in the past year, compared with 36% of those over 60. Rios said America Gives is working with high schools, many of which already list community service as a graduation requirement, to ensure those hours are logged and build giving habits that continue after students’ secondary education.
Sofia Alvarez added:
> “I think any sort of craft or activity that really helps people connect, where they can chit chat and bond with each other, really builds that sense of community,”
Sarah Keating said:
> “A campaign like this shines a light on the multitude of ways that you can volunteer – that it doesn’t have to be whatever stereotype you have in your head,”
Partnerships and Goals
Keep America Beautiful CEO Jennifer Lawson said:
> “It doesn’t have to be all flags and tricornered hats,”
She aims to reach 4 million volunteers through local chapters that clean up communities, plant trees, and make gardens. The commission’s research shows that most Americans want to bring back a spirit of volunteerism, even amid political divisions.
| Age group | Volunteer rate |
|---|---|
| Under 30 | 25% |
| Over 60 | 36% |
The initiative will also rally people around national days of service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and 9/11, while encouraging local projects throughout the year.
Key Takeaways
- America Gives will use the 1776 celebration to boost volunteering, targeting 250,000 hours and 250 winners.
- Young adults under 30 are a key focus, with partners offering flexible, short-term opportunities.
- Partnerships with Girl Scouts, Keep America Beautiful, and JustServe aim to mobilize millions of volunteers and clean up communities.
The program’s success will depend on sustained participation beyond July 4th, turning a single moment of reflection into a lasting culture of service.
