America Gives aims for record volunteerism in 2026, with Church of Jesus Christ as a partner

SALT LAKE CITY — As America celebrates its 250th birthday this year, residents nationwide are invited to get involved in their communities and make 2026 the largest year of volunteerism in the country's history.

America Gives is a nationwide initiative put together by America250, the organization leading the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

"America Gives embodies what our semiquincentennial is all about — celebrating not only our nation's past, but also its people and potential," said Rosie Rios, America250's chairwoman, in a press release. "Through service, we strengthen the bonds that unite us and remind ourselves that the American spirit of generosity and community endures. Together, we can make 2026 a year defined by purpose and action."

The initiative was put together after research showed that most Americans thought rebuilding a culture of community service should be part of celebrating the nation's 250th birthday.

"The initiative aims to build a movement of sustained impact — helping nonprofits expand their volunteer bases and inspiring individuals to continue giving back long after the fireworks fade," per America250's press release.

How to get involved in America Gives

Americans can go online to take the Year of Service pledge and log their service hours to be added to the national total, per the press release. As of Wednesday morning, the website showed that there had been 364,240 volunteer hours completed nationwide.

The live volunteer-hour counter showcases the collective volunteer hours across all 50 states, five territories and Washington, D.C.

Those who volunteer can easily record their hours by entering the details of their volunteer activity directly into the America Gives portal. Americans can also upload photos and stories to help inspire others.

The America Gives website provides a list of volunteer activities that people can explore to see how they can get involved.

America Gives has a number of partner organizations, including Walmart, Coca-Cola, Make-A-Wish, Youth Service America and AmeriCorps.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' involvement in America Gives

One of the America Gives partner organizations is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As part of America Gives and the America250 celebrations, the church will be delivering 250 semitruck loads of food to food banks around the country.

The first five truckloads were delivered in November to food banks in Oregon, Michigan, Arkansas, Texas and Missouri. Each one was loaded with around 40,000 pounds of food donated by the church.

"As we mark this historic milestone, we hope to foster a spirit of unity, peacemaking and goodwill," said Elder Gerrit W. Gong, of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in a press release. "The anniversary is an opportunity for all to come together, serve together and express gratitude for the freedoms that have allowed all faiths — including ours — to flourish."

FamilySearch and JustServe will also be participating in the America Gives initiative.

National America Gives sweepstakes

As a way to encourage more participation, America250 is also holding the America Gives National Sweepstakes, where 250 winners will be selected randomly from people who log volunteer hours across the country, per the America250 press release.

The winners will be able to allocate a $4,000 donation to one of America250's approved charities. All together, $1 million will be donated by the organization through this sweepstakes.

Utah's involvement in America250 celebrations

The state of Utah is also celebrating the America's 250th birthday. In July 2025, Gov. Spencer Cox kicked off a yearlong celebration in Utah for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

During the kickoff on July 1, 2025, Cox urged Utahns to lead the nation in introducing a "new era of patriotism." Utah's celebration of America's 250th birthday will include a variety of events and initiatives.

The Utah initiative is meant to bring communities and individuals together to honor the country's past and inspire a greater future.

"I think in light of a lot of the chaos and the contention that's happening in public, this is a chance for Utahns to do what Utahns do best, which is come together and celebrate who we are and what we represent on the world stage," said U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy at the kickoff event.

One of the things Utah is doing to celebrate the 250th anniversary is Walk250 Utah, which encourages Utahns to move 250 miles during the yearlong celebration. Another program is 500 For Our Future, which has an aim to reach 500 civic teachers with additional training, resources and support, emphasizing American and Utah history.

Related topics