Altruistic people deserve to have our community service valued! Our country's gross domestic product (GDP) does not include the value of volunteer service (i.e. free work) donated to nonprofit organizations, (nor does it include replacement value for family home care for children & disabled people). Further, while expenses incurred in volunteer service (i.e. out-of-pocket cost of travel to meetings, office and school supplies, etc.) can be deducted from IRS return, the replacement value of donated essential services (skilled or not) is not allowed as a deduction.
Change the law to include 1/ replacement value of free labor in the GDP and 2/ as an allowable 1040 deduction on personal income tax returns.