The current economic downturn provides greater opportunities for generosity, community and voluntary sector organisations say.
ComVoices, an independent network of more than 20 sector organisations, is calling on New Zealanders to think about how they can give at a time when many communities are struggling.
"Giving both time and money is about making a choice; it doesn't require people to be rich or to have more spare time than others,'' New Zealand Council of Social Services executive officer Ros Rice, formerly of Dunedin, said.
Each year more than one million New Zealanders volunteer a total 270 million hours of work - worth more than $3 billion to the country's communities.
And in Dunedin more people than ever, especially young people, are volunteering their time and talents.
Volunteering Otago manager Susie Yeats said 345 new people had volunteered their time in the first four months of this year, compared with 438 in the whole of last year.
"We've been inundated with young people.''
"About 80 per cent of this year's new volunteers are under 30 years of age,'' Ms Yeats said.
For people facing a tighter job market, volunteering could enhance their skills, show they were motivated and keep them socially connected, Ms Yeats said.
Some organisations were looking at restructuring to include more volunteers, she said.
Philanthropy New Zealand executive director Robyn Scott, of Wellington, said the tax cuts many workers received at the start of this month provided a good opportunity to make a regular, ongoing donation to a not-for-profit organisation.
Last year's tax changes, removing the tax rebate cap for individuals, companies and Maori authorities, means people can now give up to the total amount of their personal or business income to a registered charity and receive back 33 cents in the dollar.
