Queens Volunteerism Beats the National Average

A study commissioned by the City of New York and carried out by Distinguished Professor John Mollenkopf (Political Science, Sociology), working with several city agencies, found that residents of Western Queens volunteer at more than double the national rate.
 
About 48 percent of residents of the neighborhoods of East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, and Woodside report that they are civically engaged, the study found, compared with a rate of only 14 percent in a separate national survey from 2015.
 
Researchers focused on the Queens neighborhoods because of their economic, racial, and housing diversity, the Queens Courier reported in an article on the study. The study also showed that demographic groups often thought of as having low rates of volunteerism, such as low-income groups and immigrant communities, report high levels of civic engagement.
 
Mollenkopf is the director of the GC's Center for Urban Research, which researches issues facing New York and other large cities, and conducts applied research projects for public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other clients.