Volunteers: Going from jobless to selfless

YAKIMA, Wash. -- After spending two decades working as a surgical assistant in Yakima, Laurel Poor wasn't overly worried when her employer let her go.

But a year later, the 57-year-old Yakima resident is still looking for a job and trying not to take the rejections personally.

"There are jobs out there, but there are so many of us applying for them," said Poor, who collects unemployment. "I thought experience would count for a lot more than it does."

Choosing to be productive with her free time, Poor has joined thousands of people across the country who volunteer. Through running errands and filing paperwork for Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital's surgical department, Poor hopes to learn skills that will attract a new employer.

"I wanted more experience with the computer and different programs, like Word and Excel," said Poor, who began volunteering last summer. "I'm doing jobs that don't take a lot of skill, but they are jobs that need to be done."

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 63.4 million Americans -- 26.8 percent of the population -- volunteered with organizations from September 2008 through September 2009. That's 1.6 million more than the previous year but still less than the high of 65.4 million in 2005.

Some economists attribute the growth of volunteerism to the recession, believing dislocated workers want to do something meaningful or get experience to change careers.

From September 2008 through September 2009, the unemployment rate in Yakima County fluctuated between 5.1 and 6.7 percent. The latest report, showing March figures, has the county's unemployment rate at 9.5 percent.

Women, in particular, are donating their services. According to labor statistics, about 1.2 million more women volunteered in 2009 than in 2008.

Thomas Rotolo, associate professor of sociology at Washington State University, has studied volunteering trends for the past 15 years. Historically, he said, wives of wealthy businessmen were most likely to volunteer because doing so was expected.

Married women with young children are now the most apt to give back to their communities. However, Rotolo said, directly linking the recession to the increase in volunteers -- especially female volunteers -- is premature.

"At this point, it's too early to say definitively that the economic downturn is forcing people into volunteering, but it is a good hypothesis," he said. "It does cast a positive spin on an otherwise grim situation."

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In the Yakima Valley, no one collects information on overall volunteer trends. But Ann Henning, for one, is seeing a shift.

As volunteer coordinator for Memorial, Henning oversees about 330 volunteers. She said the number of volunteers has grown by about 12 percent from last year, and that more and more of them are dislocated workers.

In the past five years, she said senior citizens made up roughly 70 percent to 75 percent of her pool. That number has since decreased to 52 percent.

"For the first time that I can remember, we're seeing quite an increase in people who have been displaced from their employment," she said. "They're either looking for a job -- hoping to get their foot in the door -- or simply, looking for a new career choice and they're considering the health care field."

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At Memorial, volunteers are tasked with clerical work, patient room service, greeting visitors and even hospice care.

One such hospice worker is Pam Bisconer of Yakima. When the 51-year-old first began volunteering in November, she checked on people who recently lost a loved one and attended bereavement support groups. For the past few months, she's transitioned to helping an elderly woman dying of cancer.

Twice a week, Bisconer visits the woman -- delivering medications, providing transportation and engaging in games of bowling or cards. Trained in counseling psychology and human resources, Bisconer has been looking for work since earning an online graduate degree last fall.

Volunteering, she said, is a way to stay busy -- and she's been active in this realm for much of her life. Bisconer recently found a job helping college students secure employment. Still, she said she has no intention of ending her volunteering commitments.

"When I haven't been working full time, I volunteer to help others. It's important to me," she said. "It's my calling in life."

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Being unemployed can take a toll on a person, said Shelley Asper of Yakima. Three years ago, she moved to Yakima from Washington, D.C., to be with family. Since then, her family has moved and Asper lost her job when her employer downsized.

"Emotionally, you can't get a whole lot lower than I've gotten," said Asper, who has more than 20 years experience in sales and executive management. "For me, the thing that makes all the difference is to get out with people."

To that end, Asper become a volunteer at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima. She's greeted people, monitored their comings and goings and worked on various projects since last fall.

"I wanted to see if I could volunteer there because it's an educational and clinical environment, which I thrive in," she said. "It's really just a treat to see the students come and learn. They are so excited about their field and the future."

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Asper said the recession was a factor in her losing her last two jobs. What makes matters worse is that there are few career opportunities in the Yakima Valley for someone of her specialized experience.

To make ends meet, Asper lives on investment revenue. She took on a roommate to help pay the mortgage, and she can no longer afford to travel, shop and eat out as much as she once did.

"There are jobs out there, but ... I'm overqualified," said Asper, who declined to give her age. "The pay scale in Yakima is certainly not what it was in Washington, D.C."

In her experience, volunteering for a company can lead into a paying position, Asper said. And if that doesn't happen, at least she's networking, staying productive and helping the community.

"I'm spending my days doing something that I enjoy, doing something that helps other people," she said, adding that she's now considering her options and trying new pursuits. "I want something meaningful, purposeful."

Poor shares in the hope that she will find a fulfilling job. But by volunteering at Memorial, she isn't as easily depressed and discouraged. She has a place to go where she feels she's making a difference, and for that, Poor is grateful.

"Right now, I have a positive outlook. It wasn't always that way," said Poor, who has two grown children. "I feel like I'm making a difference, like I'm accomplishing something."

* Erin Snelgrove can be reached at 509-577-7684 or esnelgrove@yakimaherald.com.