Volunteer Opportunities

Our energetic, patient-focused volunteers are integral members of the Hospice Team. All volunteers are provided training and an opportunity to identify the kind of volunteer contribution they are most comfortable with. Some assignments, such as those that require direct patient contact, require special training.

This is our Volunteer Orientation Video

Volunteer Opportunities Include:

1. Visit with patients at Hospice Houses, homes, or nursing homes
2. Make keepsake items for patients and families as part of a crafter group
3. Provide caregiver relief for families
4. Transport patients to doctor appointments or hospitals or family members to visit their loved one at the Hospice Houses (Volunteers have their own vehicles)
5. Deliver supplies to patients
6. Celebrate patient birthdays by baking a cake
7. Create a Memory Bear from an article of clothing of a loved one
8. Record a life stories of a patients on DVD
9. Pin military veteran patients with the Hospice Veteran Partnership pin as a fellow veteran
10. Assemble care packs for children visiting a loved one at the Hospice Houses
11. Help in offices with medical records, filing, computer data entry, mailings, making phone calls, copying materials, and other general office duties
12. Serve as members of fund raising event planning committees
13. Provide additional help in building maintenance and gardening at the Hospice Houses or patient homes
14. Provide music for patients at the Hospice Houses.
15. Share pets as part of an Animal Assisted Therapy Team, visiting patients
16. Represent Hospice of Dayton as a Community Ambassador as part of the Speaker’s Bureau, telling community groups about our services
17. Supporting family members with periodic phone calls after the loss of a loved one

Item Donations

You can help Hospice of Dayton address the needs of patients and families by donating to support our volunteer efforts. The following are some examples of items used regularly that can be donated to support these volunteer programs.

Kids Care Packs – are given to children of patients when they visit their loved one. These help make the visitation time easier by providing activities for children.

1. decks of cards
2. individually wrapped candy
3. stuffed animals (beanies to medium size)
4. crayons
5. pens
6. pencils
7. pads of paper
8. activity/coloring books
9. stickers
10. beaded necklaces, bracelets
11. small toys like Slinkies, bouncing balls, hand-held toy maze with floating ball (Please no whistles or other noise makers or toys that require batteries.)
12. bandanas
13. chapstick

Pre-Teen/Teen Care Packs
Items listed above and…

1. trial size lotions
2. nail polish
3. journals
4. lip gloss
5. small puzzle books (crossword, word search, Sudoku, etc)

Supplies for Crafters
The crafters prepare care cards, holiday keepsake items, and assemble coloring/activity books. They assemble the care packs for kids. They also sew items like lap blankets, comfort pillows, walker bags, chemo hats, and memory bears. They crochet and knit lap throws and prayer shawls.

1. Poly-Fil (10 lb. Box) – 100% premium polyester fiberfill
2. different colored ribbon for the bows of the bears (anything from 1/4″, 1/2″ to up to 1, 1 1/4″ ribbon)
3. various colors of yarn
4. assorted tissue paper
5. cardstock, any colors
6. double Stick tape
7. craft Adhesive tape
8. individually wrapped candies or chocolates

Flower vases for Patient Rooms
Bud or small vases are used to provide fresh flowers for patient rooms