April 18, 2021
URBANA, Ill. – Volunteers are core to University of Illinois Extension's success improving families and communities. Last year, more than 9,100 volunteers gave over 184,000 hours of service to the organization. Those hours are valued at over $5.5 million dollars statewide.
National Volunteer Week runs April 18 to 24, and Illinois Extension Director Shelly Nickols-Richardson acknowledged the profound impact both youth and adult volunteers have for the organization.
"Without them, we would have a hard time organizing our 4-H clubs and programs, planting our community gardens, conserving our nature preserves, training our public leaders, and educating youth and their families about healthy living," Nickols-Richardson says. "We count on their reliability, readiness, and resilience."