ABC News/Washington Post Volunteer Poll, April 1997

This special topic poll sought respondents' opinions on the presidency and on volunteer activity in the United States. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President Bill Clinton and his handling of the economy and foreign policy, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Vice President Al Gore, the United States Congress, and retired general Colin Powell. Those queried were also asked to comment on their own volunteer involvement as well as that of their friends and neighbors. Topics covered the extent of involvement, the type of volunteer activities they participated in, where they got the idea to volunteer, their level of commitment to volunteering, the reasons why they volunteered, and the effects of volunteer work on the community and country, including whether social problems should be solved through volunteering or government programs. Respondents were asked which of the following types of volunteer work they supported: teaching Sunday school, fundraising, environmental programs, working with the elderly and/or poor, historical and cultural society programs, and international volunteer programs. The upcoming government-sponsored meeting on volunteerism and government-funded volunteer programs such as the Peace Corps, Americorps, and Learn and Serve America were also addressed. An additional subject was the potential for a stock market crash in the future. Background information on respondents includes age, race, ethnicity, sex, education, political party, political orientation, religion, employment status, family income, demographics of area of residence, and participation in volunteer activities.