Volunteer work shouldn’t have monetary award

Most students have participated in some sort of service activity. Be it picking up trash on a hike, visiting residents in a retirement home or building a house for someone less fortunate, we gain a unique sense of satisfaction after our efforts. Rarely are these acts of service ever coupled with payment—we do it for no other reason than it being the right thing to do.

Sen. Orrin Hatch wants to formalize service rendered in America and give it a dollar value. He envisions service-learning programs with a goal to keep young students engaged in school, which in turn will increase the likelihood of graduation because of their levels of involvement in academic programs. For adults, service provides opportunities to mentor and improve their communities. For nonprofit organizations, the federal government should be a partner that supports its community service efforts because of the far-reaching benefits to American citizens.

This past week, Hatch’s vision, in the form of the Serve America Act, was approved by Congress and will soon go to President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it into law. Should Obama sign the legislation into law, the altruistic reasons for volunteer service will be compromised by enterprising individuals whose real incentive is gaining access to government grant money. The idea is well-meaning, but it would undermine the entire point of service.

“The passage of the Serve America Act is a significant milestone for our country,” Hatch said. “By increasing opportunities nationwide for Americans to serve and, thus, enabling private citizens to do more for their communities, personal and community responsibility will take the place of direct government aid. Volunteer service is a keystone of our country’s traditions, and it is becoming increasingly important in these troubled economic times that we help our neighbors.”

In reality, the federal government isn’t establishing a system in which nonprofits and volunteer service are completely self-sustainable ventures because the government will still be providing financial aid. Nearly $5.7 billion will be set aside in grant money to help nonprofit organizations such as AmeriCorps expand their community service programs. The educational award for AmeriCorps volunteers will increase to $5,300 from $4,725 last year if they serve at least a year. Committing a year of service to an organization that doesn’t offer much compensation isn’t a job, but it’s also not volunteering. This arrangement falls somewhere in between.

This grant money will surely provide assistance to organizations such as the Utah Foster Care Foundation or Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, which help communities by providing mentors and open young eyes to new possibilities and opportunities, but the altruistic incentive is lost.

Given the alternative for government funding, spending on volunteer efforts is a lot wiser than bailing out behemoth companies that are crumbling and allocate their bailout dollars for golden parachutes given to the executives responsible for the financial disaster. The Serve America Act should not become a vehicle that feeds comparable greed instead of altruistic volunteer service.

http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/opinion/volunteer-work-shouldn-t-have-monetary-award-1.1644568