To highlight volunteer activities worldwide and encourage more people to join in, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers, and the Royal Canadian Mint marked the event with a special issue commemorative ten cent coin.

The reverse design honours the "Marching Mothers" of Hamilton, Ontario, who collected dimes in 1951 to help fund polio vaccine research. Their relentless dedication helped deliver a cure and their legacy continues to this day in the March of Dimes Canada charitable organization.