Encore.org member Joel Levinson writes:

I have always felt there should be certain compensation for volunteers at the city and state levels. Parking passes, tuition credits, food script, entertainment passes, etc. These can be tied into corporate sponsors with little out of pocket expenses for the city.

A lot of city jobs are done by citizen volunteers, and cities would have a difficult time with their budget if not for them. How about rewarding volunteers and organizing a union of sorts. It may also encourage more people to participate if there were a little incentive for their efforts.

I know we volunteer for unselfish reasons, but the way the economy is going, there needs to be a way for both participants and communities to help each other out to succeed in these tough times. It can be a win-win situation for both. In our city the library, senior center, police departments, emergency response teams, tutors, etc. are all necessary to have a wonderful place to live.

Let’s reward and kick it up a notch for a fiscally and personally rewarding partnership.

What do you think: If volunteers get perks, are they still volunteers?