What have you heard about millennials (aka 18- to 31-year-olds)? What have you seen and thought to yourself?

• Lazy.
• Entitled.
• Irresponsible.
• Selfish.
• Narcissistic.
• Materialistic.

I’m sure there’s someone out of the 86 million millennials alive today who fits that mold. But as the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. So what does the research tell us about millennials’ actions?

• According to the 2013 Millennial Impact Report, 73% of millennials volunteered for a nonprofit in 2012. How sweet is that?
• 83% of millennials made a donation to an organization.
• Over and above that, 70% of millennials are hitting the (physical and virtual) “pavement,” raising money for causes they care about both online and offline. Even if they aren’t giving large sums individually, they are willing to take it to the next level and ask their networks for support.
• According to USATODAY.com, “… people born between 1982 and 2000 are the most civic-minded since the generation of the 1930s and 1940s.”

Turns out at heart, millennials might be the exact opposite of selfish, lazy or narcissistic.

So how do you get them fired up? How do you get them to care about your giving campaign or take the next step to be involved? Here’s one idea:

72% of millennials are interested in participating in a nonprofit young professional group.

Are you one of these people? Do you know one of these people? United Way Emerging Leaders is exactly that: a group of 20- and 30-somethings interested in learning more about United Way and getting further connected to each other, and the community. Check it out or spread the word! uwkc.org/emergingleaders