Volunteer Your Time

• Visit patients in their homes, nursing homes, and/or our inpatient unit
• Veterans helping Veterans - We Honor Veterans
• Provide light housekeeping or yardwork for patients
• Nurses’ station receptionist (inpatient unit in Cheektowaga)
• Refreshment cart (inpatient unit in Cheektowaga)
• Birthday Brigade – deliver birthday cakes or treats to patients
• Holiday Deliveries - deliver holiday items to patients
• Provide patient/caregiver transportation
• Pet Therapy (Pet Therapy certification required)
• Hairdresser (must have current license)
• Notary
• Language Interpreter
• Work with bereaved families
• Essential Care for Children's programs: Storm Clouds & Rainbows and Camp Blue Skies
• Life Stories: Everyone has stories to tell and memories to share. Our specially trained volunteers work directly with a patient to create an audio recording. Help patients share their life stories, memories, and messages while leaving a legacy for their loved ones.

To ensure the safety of the patients, individuals must be at least 16 years old or older, must be fully COVID-19 vaccinated, and attend volunteer orientation.

In order to ensure the safety of the patients and families you will come into contact with, we need you to complete the following steps:

Step #1: Complete a volunteer application (including names and contact information for two references).

• After you attend orientation, we send your references a form to complete and return to our office.

Step #2: Attend new volunteer orientation (four, three-hour sessions).

• Dates vary but generally orientation runs from 6PM to 9PM once a week for four consecutive weeks at our Como Park campus in Cheektowaga.
• Provide proof of COVID vaccination (copy of vaccination card, Excelsior Pass not accepted).
• Complete a form* (with your social security number) so we may run a criminal background check.
• For Direct Care Volunteers only***: Provide a copy of a current New York State Registered Nurse (RN) license or Home Health Aide (HHA) certification.

Step #3: Provide us proof of a physical from the past 12 months.

• We will provide you with a form that your MD/NP/PA must complete. Note: the date at the bottom of the form must be the date of your actual physical, not the date the physician completes the form.

Step #4: Schedule a meeting with our Employee Health Nurse where she will do the following:

• Take a copy of your photo ID (current driver’s license, student ID, or passport).
• Review your rubella and rubeola immunization records.
  • If you cannot locate your records, we can write a script for you to get bloodwork to prove you’ve had the vaccines; just send us a copy of the results
  • If you never received these, we can administer the MMR to you, free of charge
  • Review the physical form your physician completed.
  • Administer a PPD*, an injection to determine if you have tuberculosis. Within 48 to 72 hours, you must return to our Mitchell Campus to see if you are reacting to the shot.
  • Administer a drug test* via oral swab.
  • Our nurse is generally available Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:00pm but other arrangements can be made. Appointments generally take 30 minutes.

Step #5: Receive a flu shot during flu season.

• We’ll need a copy of your flu shot paperwork. If you opt not to get one, you’ll need to wear a mask when with patients and sign a document agreeing to that.

Please note that annually you need to:

1. Meet with our Employee Health Nurse in order to have your vitals checked and a PPD administered (15 minute appointment).
2. Receive a flu shot OR sign a declination form and agree to wear a mask.
3. Attend one in-person training session (120 minutes long) to ensure you continue to have the knowledge to effectively volunteer.

*If you are under 18, we do not run a background check. Also, a guardian will need to be present when you meet with our Employee Health Nurse in order to authorize the PPD and drug test.

• West Herr Comfort Cafe
• Greeting campus visitors
• Phone receptionist
• Filing and mailings

Individuals will be working on our campus, with access and exposure to confidential and organizational information. Individuals must be at least 16 years old or older, must be fully COVID-19 vaccinated, and attend volunteer orientation.

Because you will be working on our campus and will have access/exposure to confidential and organizational information, we require the following from you:

Step #1: Complete a volunteer application (including names and contact information for two references).

• We’ll send your references a form to complete and return to our office.

Step #2: Attend new volunteer orientation (three, three-hour sessions).

• Dates vary but generally orientation runs from 6PM to 9PM once a week for three consecutive weeks at our Como Park campus in Cheektowaga.
• Provide proof of COVID vaccination (copy of vaccination card, Excelsior Pass not accepted).
• Complete a form * (with your social security number) so we can run a criminal background check.
• Bring a copy of photo ID (current driver’s license, a student ID, or passport) so that we can take a copy for our records. * If you are under 18, we do not run a background check. Also, a guardian will need to be present when you meet with our Employee Health Nurse in order to authorize the PPD and drug test.

• Spring Bouquet Sale
• Memorial Walk
• Memorial Ceremonies
• Taste of Buffalo
• Chiavetta’s BBQ
• Share the Buffalo
• Holiday Gift Wrapping
• Light-A-Life Tree Ceremony
• Gardening
• Treasured Threads: Are you a crafter who loves to sew? We are looking for sewers assist with our Treasured Threads program. This program involves specialized Hospice volunteers creatively piecing together “Treasured Threads” of a loved one to create a tangible lasting memory. Pillows and teddy bears are our most requested items.

The nature of special events work requires that individuals must be fully COVID-19 vaccinated and our volunteer application be completed.

The nature of special events work necessitates that you complete the following:

Step #1: Complete our volunteer application.

Step #2: Provide proof of COVID vaccination (copy of vaccination card, Excelsior Pass not accepted).