Who doesn’t love those images of a hunky volunteer holding a cute puppy? A big man helping a sweet old lady cross the road with her shopping, or stripped-down and planting trees in the park? With charity organizations venturing beyond the ordinary in their marketing efforts, volunteering is no longer just about doing good, it can also be seen as a way to look good.

But just how many men are using their so-called philanthropic efforts to boost their online dating profiles or social media outlook in the hopes of scoring a date? Does it really matter what is behind the motivation if the charities see the benefit at the end of the day? Or is using your charitable work as a way to bolster your dating profile considered uncouth?

To get more insight into the world of charitable chasers, we surveyed 3,004 single men across America to see what they had to say about the topic at hand. Here’s their responses:

Charity For A Cause

So, just how many American men would join a charitable cause simply as a way of bolstering their dating profile? Our survey found 15% of the male population admit that they would do so; however, men from certain states seemed more inclined than others to turn to philanthropy as a way of impressing a potential partner.

almost half of men say they would sign up for a charity event just because their crush was going

For instance, half of the men in Hawaii said they would consider supporting a charity if it meant that more ladies would swipe right on their dating profile, while 40% of Alaskans would do the same. And 31% of men in Washington also saw no harm in supporting a cause if it benefited their love lives, and 25% of men in Colorado, Connecticut, and Nebraska agreed. 

On the other end of the spectrum, some states thought that people who supported charities simply to gain a better dating profile gave them the ick. For instance, only 4% of men in Nevada and 5% of those in New Jersey said that this is something they would consider doing.

Which Charities Are Calling?

But it seems that not every charity is created equal. We also asked the men to give us their thinking on which causes they would support. The top prospect? Volunteering at an animal or rescue shelter. 

Men in 32 states, including Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, Montana, New York, and Texas, all opted for this as their charity of choice, believing that the images it would give them would serve to enhance their social and dating profiles. Who can resist an adorable kitten or loveable pup after all? 

State% Who Have Joined a Charitable Cause to Boost Dating ProfileCharitable Cause to Join to Boost Dating Profile
Alabama20Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Alaska15Building Homes (Habitat for Humanity)
Arizona17Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Arkansas11Building Homes (Habitat for Humanity)
California22Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Colorado25Building Homes (Habitat for Humanity)
Connecticut25Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Delaware9Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Florida13Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Georgia18Food Banks & Soup Kitchens
Hawaii15Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Idaho11Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Illinois10Tree Planting & Community Gardens
Indiana9Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Iowa17Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Kansas8Building Homes (Habitat for Humanity)
Kentucky14Food Banks & Soup Kitchens
Louisiana10Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Maine13Therapeutic Horse Riding Programs
Maryland14Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Massachusetts9Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Michigan13Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Minnesota17Tree Planting & Community Gardens
Mississippi18Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Missouri15Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Montana15Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Nebraska25Tree Planting & Community Gardens
Nevada4Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
New Hampshire15Music Therapy for Seniors or Kids
New Jersey5Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
New Mexico21Music Therapy for Seniors or Kids
New York23Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
North Carolina11Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
North Dakota14Wildlife Conservation & Sanctuary Volunteering
Ohio13Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Oklahoma15Food Banks & Soup Kitchens
Oregon12Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Pennsylvania17Building Homes
Rhode Island15Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
South Carolina10Beach & Park Cleanups
South Dakota15Food Banks & Soup Kitchens
Tennessee19Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Texas15Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Utah17Building Homes
Vermont15Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Virginia15Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Washington31Beach & Park Cleanups
West Virginia24Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Wisconsin9Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Wyoming15Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers
Overall15Animal Shelters & Rescue Centers

In second place, volunteering at a food bank or soup kitchen was also considered a potential way to find a mate. Men in Georgia, Kentucky, and South Dakota all leaned toward this as their charity of choice.

In third place, the men said that pictures of them building homes for an organization like Habitat for Humanity were sure to get them more dates. In particular, men in Alaska and Kansas preferred these philanthropic efforts.

Other charitable causes that men were willing to spend time at included wildlife and conservation sanctuary volunteering, beach and park cleanups, tree planting and community gardens, therapeutic horse riding, and music therapy for children and seniors. 

How Many Would Exaggerate Their Charity Work? 

We know it’s common for people to elaborate, exaggerate, or even downright lie on their dating profiles, but how many men are using their charitable endeavors to exaggerate or lie to a would-be spouse into thinking they are someone that they’re not? 

over 2 in 3 consider it a red flag if a date exaggerated their volunteer work on their dating profile

Our survey revealed that 16% admitted that they had indeed overexaggerated their volunteer work on their dating profile. 

It’s also interesting to note that singles do indeed consider the volunteer work people do when considering potential dates. Interestingly, 81% of daters surveyed said that they would be more likely to commit to someone who shared their passion for giving back. Almost half (45%) said they would even be more likely to swipe right on someone who was clearly volunteering in their profile photo

That said, 68% of singles also said that if they found out that their date had lied about their volunteer experience, it would be a red flag

Charity Focussed Dates

But the focus of philanthropic dating goes beyond just building out an impressive looking profile. About 47% of our survey respondents said that they would consider signing up for a charity event simply because their crush would be going. Perhaps hoping to make a first date out of it?

When asked how they would feel if a potential partner suggested a “volunteer date” instead of a typical dinner or drinks, this was the response:

  • That’s awesome — way more fun than a regular date: 49%
  • I’d go along with it, but I’d rather keep dates chill: 33%
  • Hard pass — I just want to eat and vibe: 13%
  • Only if I can wear something cute and not get dirty: 5%

As far as casually bringing up charity work at the dinner table, 43% said they would say something like, “I just got back from something really cool…” while 34% would casually drop it into a conversation, for example, by referring to having to get up early for morning volunteer work. 

circle graph displaying responses for the best way to casually slip volunteer work into a conversation

At the end of the day, no matter how you bring it into conversation, there’s certainly a case for including charity work on your dating profile. And while there’s no harm in talking up the good work you do, lying about it shouldn’t be part of those efforts.

Methodology:

We selected 3,004 respondents from a geographically representative online panel of double-opt-in members. This selection was further tailored to meet the precise criteria required for each unique survey. Throughout the survey, we designed questions to carefully screen and authenticate respondents, guaranteeing the survey’s alignment with the ideal participants.

To ensure the integrity of our data collection, we employed an array of data quality methods. Alongside conventional measures such as digital fingerprinting, bot checks, geo-verification, and speeding detection, each response underwent a thorough review by a dedicated team member to ensure quality and contextual accuracy. Our commitment extended to open-ended responses, subjecting them to scrutiny for gibberish answers and plagiarism detection.