The Role of the Volunteer

Your role as a volunteer or relief manager is to help manage the daily operations of the House and to provide hospitality and a caring environment for our guests.  Relief managers are responsible for maintaining the operations of the House while the Executive Director and House Manager are off duty.  As a shift volunteer, you will be asked to do various tasks, and your responsibilities may vary from time to time.  Just a few of the duties relief managers and shift volunteers tend to include baking, preparing mailouts, maintaining the gardens, chatting with guests, or helping stock rooms and closets.  Keep in mind that the comfort of our guests depends a lot on the volunteers.  Volunteers are responsible for knowing and understanding the House rules and making sure guests understand and follow the House rules.  When referrals are made to the House, volunteers are responsible for following through with the next appropriate steps to check-in and register the guest.  Relief managers are responsible for attending to all problem situations that may arise.

The goal of the House Manager and all of the House volunteers is to make each guest family's stay as easy and uncomplicated as possible.  While the volunteers and staff do not serve as counselors, they are willing to listen and respect the confidentiality of what is heard.  Although the House is a home-away-from-home for families of hospitalized children, no medical care is offered by the management or the volunteers.  The volunteers help to provide a positive atmosphere, answer whatever questions a guest may have, and keep the House running smoothly.  Our goal is to make a difficult time in an unfamiliar place as nearly normal and comfortable as possible for the families staying here.

More About Our Volunteer Program: