New York Area: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, collectively has one of the larger population of Japanese in the USA. This includes an increasing number of aging Japanese & Japanese Americans whose needs for social services, health care, nursing, and community outreach grows with each passing year. Also, many non-profit organizations(NPO) actively develop and support these services. The purpose of this study is: to learn about the current motivations & activities of volunteer work by the New York Chapter Board members of the Japanese American Citizens League and other NPOs; to increase volunteerism amongst the Japanese senior citizens. The current volunteer activities/ motivations of the NY/JACL and other NPOs were examined using interviews, observations, and discussions. Results provided these ideas toward increasing volunteerism by and for Japanese senior citizens: 1) to promote/improve motivation/skills 2) to make necessary information accessible 3) to acknowledge valuable time/skills given to individual/groups by thank-you parties, meetings by Japanese organizations, and articles in newspapers with pictures 4) to report volunteer activities, i.e. time, expenses to the required annual USA income tax forms as donations" for credit 5) to continue research/evaluation of all volunteers & activities
