FFA National Days of Service: 2020 Impact
Impact data were collected from the 2020 nationwide National Days of Service, with attitudinal survey responses drawn from 2019 National Days of Service participants. Economic impact was calculated using Independent Sector's value of a volunteer hour.
Key Points
- 8,014 volunteers from 340 chapters across 45 states and Puerto Rico logged 24,321 hours of service in October 2020.
- The 2020 National Days of Service produced $661,531 in economic impact, an increase of $492,727 from 2019.
- 95% of FFA members agreed volunteering is essential for personal growth, and 94% said volunteer work is an important activity.
- Participants rated the virtual event 4.5 out of 5 stars.
National Days of Service is an annual opportunity for FFA members attending the National FFA Convention & Expo to give back through service projects at sites around the host city. In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, FFA launched the first-ever nationwide National Days of Service. Throughout the month of October, 8,014 volunteers representing 340 chapters from 45 states and Puerto Rico logged 24,321 hours of service.
8,014 student volunteers created $661,531 in economic impact
Most of the volunteers were FFA members, and FFA advisors participated as well. The collective effort produced an economic impact of $661,531 nationwide.1 What’s more, the participants enjoyed their time spent at their respective service projects: FFA members and adults alike rated the virtual event 4.5 out of 5 stars.
| Year | Economic Impact |
|---|---|
| 2018 | $173,324 |
| 2019 | $168,804 |
| 2020 | $661,531 |
FFA members believe volunteerism is essential
We asked FFA members about their volunteerism. FFA members agreed or strongly agreed that…2
- Volunteering my time is essential for my personal growth (95%)
- I volunteered because I wanted to (84%)
- Volunteer work is an important activity (94%)
- Participation in the activity is essential to the host site (91%)
What FFA members say
“I learned how dependent food banks are on volunteer work.”
“Helping out the local community is important for all.”
“I learned that a lot of effort goes into events. I became more grateful for events I’ve attended because I learned about volunteers’ hard work to accomplish them.”
How FFA chapters get involved
The opportunity for FFA members and chapters to make a difference is year-round in FFA. Through the Living To Serve program, FFA chapters can apply for grants that fund service activities and utilize the interactive toolkits on FFA.org to plan community service and service-learning projects.
Footnotes
- Calculated using Independent Sector's value of a volunteer hour; economic impact increased by $492,727 from 2019 to 2020.
- Source: 2019 National Days of Service participants.
