How Can I Lend a Hand?
If you have ever asked yourself the question, what can I do to help? The answer is Plenty!
You make the difference. Over half of all adults in the United States volunteer. Your value contributes an average of 3.5 hours per week, and when you total that over 20 billion hours, volunteers have an estimated dollar worth of $225 billion.
Most people who volunteer report that the joy and satisfaction that comes with giving back far exceeds the efforts invested.
Some other reasons to volunteer:
- Volunteering can lead to learning new skills.
- Volunteering can help you go outside of yourself and meet new challenges.
- Volunteering helps you meet new people.
- Volunteering makes you feel needed.
- Volunteering can create new contacts, which may help your business, career or social life.
Work with Patients and Hospice Volunteer Training
At Hospice we provide training sessions that certify our volunteers to work directly in the patients homes. Your talents and preferences can be adapted to fill the needs of our hospice patients.
The following are just some of the examples where you can help:
- Just sit with patients. A comforting hand or voice means so much.
- Run errands for patients and their families, such as grocery, pharmacy, etc.
- Walk pets.
- Yard work or gardening.
- Upon completion of 8 sessions of training, certified volunteers have the option of working in their communities and establishing their own schedules with allowable services they are willing to provide for the organization. Training classes are held annually in Warren and Sussex Counties in New Jersey and Pike County, Pennsylvania.
- For more information on volunteering or for classes, please call or email Sue Dougherty, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice Volunteer Coordinator (973) 383-0115 or (800) 882-1117, email: sdougherty@karenannquinlanhospice.org
We at Hospice are very grateful for the tender care and concern you, the volunteer, bestows on our patients and us. The Hospice holds an annual luncheon for all volunteers to express appreciation for the support given year round.
Work in the Office
The offices of Hospice value the volunteers who provide regular office assistance.
No special training sessions are required, just an eagerness to help. There are always tasks and jobs to be done in the everyday work.
Special Events
Volunteers are often called upon to work in the community with the Foundation’s charitable and special events.
Their assistance is vital to the support of these functions. Some examples are:
- Manning the Hospice booth at the Sussex County Fairgrounds during the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show held every August.
- Memorial services and events such as Lights of Life and the Butterfly Release.
- Selling tickets for the annual Harley Raffle.
- The annual Cookie Exchange for patients and their families.
- Many of the fundraising events held throughout the year.
Friends of Hospice
The Friends of Hospice is a special organized group made up of all walks of life.
They play a major role in some of the Hospice efforts to fundraise and participate in fundraising events. They also support hospice on an ongoing basis with special projects. The Friends of Hospice are the core support for the annual Harley raffle, The Annual Wine and Cheese Festival, Dental Day for Hospice, and the High Tea for Hospice. They meet the second Monday of each month at 4:00 pm at the Administrative office of the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice office located at 99 Sparta Ave. Newton NJ. Anyone who has an interest is welcome to attend. It is recommended to check with the office just to confirm that the meeting schedule for that month has not been changed or interrupted for any reason.
Please feel free to contact the office at (973) 383-0115 or (800) 882-1117 for more information. You may also email Jennifer Smith, the office liaison for Friends of Hospice at jsmith@karenannquinlanhospice.org.
Other Ways to Volunteer
There are many other ways to volunteer services or give just a small piece of your time.
The lady who delivers candy treats to our office and nurses on a regular basis or the couple who come by the building to volunteer landscaping assistance. And then there is the couple that delivers us poinsettias every holiday season, which nurses and aides bring to our patients and families. The list of thoughtful and caring individuals who support our cause goes on and on…and all these things, big and small, mean so much. We along with our patients, our families, and our friends welcome your creativity and your heart.