Freeman, Richard2010-12-201997Freeman, Richard Barry. 1997. Working for nothing: The supply of volunteer labor. Journal of Labor Economics 15(1) Part 2: S140-S166.0734-306Xhttp://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:4632239Volunteer activity is work performed without monetary recompense. This article shows that volunteering is a sizeable economic activity in the United States, that volunteers have high skills and opportunity costs of time, that standard labor supply explanations of volunteering account for only a minor part of volunteer behavior, and that many volunteer only when requested to do so. This suggests that volunteering is a "conscience good or activity"-something that people feel morally obligated to do when asked, but which they would just as soon let someone else do.en-USJournal Article2010-12-2010.1086/209859