Giving back doesn’t have to mean making a big financial sacrifice. We are proud of the thousands of dedicated volunteers who walk through our doors each day to give their time helping to serve our Mission. So, you may wonder why would you volunteer at one of our hospitals ? Well, that’s a great question.
We often like to think of our hospitals as communities. Whether you prefer to cuddle with infants or have a musical gift to share, there is something here for everyone. There are many different volunteer areas at Mercy Health, but all of them play an important role in the patient experience. Here are just a few examples of how you can help.
Ways to volunteer at Mercy Health
- Transporting patients: Being transported to an unknown location can sometimes be an intimidating experience for a patient. To help ease those nerves, a volunteer helping in our patient transportation department provides support and comfort as they head to their destination.
- Working with guest services: When you were a child (and even as an adult), you know that walking into a hospital can be intimidating and even worrisome. Volunteers who work at our guest services desk, along with our guest services team, are the first faces someone will see as they enter our building. First impressions are everything, and being a guest services volunteer means going above and beyond to make the patient’s experience one they’ll always remember. Whether it’s taking that extra step to walk them to their destination or listening intently to all of their questions—these are the types of things that can make all the difference.
- Delivering flowers and mail to patients: Have you ever been on the receiving end of flowers and mail? Do you remember that smile you got when you saw your name on a card, that perfectly written letter and the fresh smell of gardenias that the mail carrier personally handed you? Well, in this role, you have the opportunity to be the one giving. Little things such as delivering mail and flowers to our patients can help turn their day around.
- Serving as a Eucharist minister: This may be one of the most personal experiences for our volunteers. Being a Catholic and faith-based organization, we have priests who need assistance in administering the sacraments of holy communion, the consecrated bread and wine, to patients at their request. Our volunteers work alongside priests to help provide sacraments to ill patients or those unable to leave their bed to attend Mass.
- Music visitation: We all know that music can soothe the soul. If you or a group are musically gifted, volunteering these talents can help put a smile on our patient’s faces. Take for example, Dick, a volunteer at Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima, Ohio. Volunteering since the 1990s, he plays piano once a month on our transitional care unit where many patients have extended hospital stays. Hearing Dick play the piano is a real treat for these patients and their families.
These are just five examples of the different volunteer opportunities you can do at one of our hospitals. There are so many more possibilities. Reach out to our volunteer team today to learn more about how you can help make a difference in the lives of the patients, families and communities that we serve.
