A United Nations report released on December 5th indicates that volunteerism contributes to the well-being of individuals, communities and society. The first State of the World’s Voluntarism was released in New York on the 10th Anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers.

The report gives recognition to the millions, perhaps billions, who are volunteering their time and energy for the well-being of their communities. The report documents volunteerism through local community groups in income poor communities around the world. National volunteer studies identify almost equal numbers of men and women volunteers, involvement of the public and private sector in volunteering, as well as strong civic participation by young people.

Simultaneously, the Report was launched at Press Building in Ottawa organized by CUSO International and Volunteer Canada. Dr. Ben Laugh Report co-author highlighted the importance of volunteer sending and receiving organizations around the world; through a power point presentation, he stressed that volunteering is the approach to peace, humanitarian response, and sustainable development. Marco A. Guzman, Executive Director of Frontiers Foundation was in attendance and had the chance to say that FF is a made in Canada Aboriginal voluntary service organization addressing primarily the issue of homelessness in smaller northern communities. The dramatic housing conditions in Attawapiskat is not an isolated example; since 2007 in Ontario alone, with the partnership of Operation Beaver volunteers and local people, FF was able to build six new homes and 127 renovations. He also thanked organizers Derek Evans and Ruth MacKenzie for inviting Frontiers Foundation/Operation Beaver to be at this auspicious event celebrating the International Volunteer Day.