Miamians sure know how to help themselves. It's helping others we tend to have a problem with.
A new survey, which tracked volunteer activity among the major U.S. cities, ranked Miami dead last among 51 other large cities over the past three years. The group, Volunteering in America, calculated that about 14.3 percent of Miami donates their time to help a cause or organization. By comparison, the national average is about 26.4 percent.
In other words, we're selfish with our time. On average, Miamians spend 22 hours per year donating clothes, money or time to a charity or cause. That's less than a "Project Runway" marathon.
Now, it could be that we have better things to do, like tan on South Beach. And who has time to attend a bake sale or volunteer at an arts festival when it takes eight hours for most of us to get our outfit and grooming just right for a night out? Clearly, Volunteering in America did not account for social lives.
Minneapolis ranks tops in the nation in volunteering, but they can count on months of shoveling driveways.
Still, 14 percent does seem a bit...low. Not surprisingly, most of Miami's volunteer efforts begin in church, but that could have a lot to do with efforts to get close to Father Alberto CutiƩ. Miamians also do a decent job at fundraising, but it's still below the national average.
And if you believe the children are our future, don't count on ours. Miami's youth volunteer even less, proving the apple doesn't fall too far from the lazy tree.
