Social Media's Role in Volunteer Motivation at Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity

Principal Investigator:
Amberleigh Schiel

Co-PIs:
Lauren Cardwell, Mackenson Saint Surin, Alexa Granville

Faculty Advisor:
Kyungwon Lee

Abstract:
Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity in Toms River is a nonprofit organization founded in 1999 that builds and repairs homes for low-to-moderate income families, including veterans and disabled individuals. The ReStore, a volunteer-run secondhand shop, sells donated furniture and other gently used household items for a fraction of the price, and 100% of profits from the ReStore go towards build/repair projects. With volunteerism in general at the ReStore on the decline, the need to understand and cultivate motivation for volunteerism is at an all-time high.

This research gathers information that assists in determining whether specified social media content aimed at increasing awareness and motivation to volunteer at Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity is an appropriate solution for the decline of volunteers. It also provides insight specifically as to how social media content can increase volunteer outreach and recruitment. The social media channel will be the ReStore's Facebook group, where daily furniture arrivals are posted. The main source of data will be a survey questionnaire administered in-person to individuals currently shopping at the ReStore, to find out if/how certain content influences them to take advantage of volunteer opportunities.