In 2003, with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and building on our past work in urban low-income communities, the Points of Light Foundation set out to expand our understanding of the legacy of volunteering in low-income rural communities. We began our study with the belief that traditional volunteer and other mainstream organizations have critical roles to play in fostering volunteering in rural areas, leveraging resources to address local challenges, and mobilizing volunteers to improve conditions for rural low-income families. This monograph describes what we learned from our study into the nature and practice of volunteering in rural communities; identifies the critical issues that impact volunteer mobilization, especially of low-income residents; and offers strategies to advance volunteering in rural communities. (Page 5 of Connecting Rural Communities: Volunteering and Neighboring)

This monograph describes what the Points of Light Foundation learned from their study into the nature and practice of volunteering in rural communities; identifies the critical issues that impact volunteer mobilization, especially of low-income residents; and offers strategies to advance volunteering in rural communities.