Volunteer
Whether you have retired after a long career, are just beginning school, or somewhere in between, volunteer opportunities abound for everyone at UNC Health Lenoir.
We boast over 200 volunteers working in 20-plus departments, and a summer program attracts the talents of 40 teens each year.
Volunteer Opportunities
Our volunteer team consists of over two hundred dedicated individuals who find great reward in helping others while meeting new friends.
It’s easiest to think of the Volunteer Program as two-pronged program: Volunteer service in the hospital and fundraising activities to benefit the hospital.
Our Student Summer Volunteer Program welcomes high school and college-age students to be part of our volunteer team. Applications available in April - March.
As a UNC Health Lenoir volunteer, you'll have the opportunity to serve in many capacities that benefit patients, visitors and the community, including:
Cheer Cart
Volunteers push a cheer cart throughout the hospital selling toiletries, candy, magazines, and various sundry items to hospital staff and patients. This convenience is greatly appreciated and lots of fun for the volunteers.
Day Surgery
Volunteers assist the staff in greeting patients and families. These volunteers keep family and friends in the waiting area informed about the patient’s progress and relay messages from patients to family members. They also assist in discharging patients.
Emergency Department
Volunteers act as liaisons between staff and families of patients. Running errands for the staff and directing or escorting patients to different areas of the hospital are additional duties.
Flower Delivery Service
Flowers brighten a patient’s room and lift spirits. Delivering these items is a very popular activity. Area florists deliver gifts and arrangements to the Volunteer Services department each weekday. A team of volunteers organizes the arrangements and delivers them to patients.
Gift Shop
Responsibilities include greeting customers and offering assistance in finding items, operating the cash register as appropriate, keeping displays neat and attractive by straightening items on shelves and card racks, answering the telephone and taking orders.
Information Desk
An information desk is located in the main lobby of the hospital. Volunteers in this area provide visitors with accurate directions and general information.
Office Support
The support that volunteers provide in offices throughout the hospital helps everyone, from those in patient care areas to educational offices. The variety of responsibilities includes collating patient chart materials, filing, working with computers, and answering the telephone.
Pastoral Care
Volunteer chaplains are available to help meet patients’ spiritual and emotional needs. Chaplains visit patients and family members and can be reached by beeper 24 hours a day.
Patient Care Floors
Volunteers on patient care floors assist our staff in many non-medical aspects of patient care. Volunteers visit and run errands for patients, help with the discharge procedures, and assist the staff with clerical tasks. The positive attitudes and caring shown to patients by our volunteers are important factors in their recovery.
Patient Mail and Email Delivery
Everyone loves to receive mail, especially patients. Ask any of our volunteers and they will tell you that helping out with mail service is an enjoyable and much appreciated job. Volunteers sort and deliver mail and emails to our patients and take care of forwarding mail to patients who have gone home.
Patient Registration
In the Patient Registration department, volunteers serve as liaisons between patients and staff to make patients feel welcome. In addition to running errands for the staff, volunteers are asked to help transport patients or to escort them to other areas of the hospital.
Service Desk
A team of volunteers work in a central location Monday through Friday admitting and discharging patients, running errands, and escorting patients and visitors throughout the hospital.
Sewing Volunteers
Volunteers brighten patients’ hospital stays by sharing their handmade gifts, such as small stuffed animals, pillows, turbans, and sock monkeys for hospitalized children and adults. These gifts are brought to Volunteer Services for distribution.
Surgical Family Waiting Room
The family waiting room is designed to serve the needs of families whose loved ones are in surgery. Volunteers act as liaisons between families and physicians, outside callers, and the nursing staff.
Welcome Committee Volunteers
Volunteers visit and present welcome packets to new patients on the day following admission. Packets have information on Pastoral Care Services, puzzles, and general information to make a patient’s stay more comfortable. Smiles and a friendly word help to brighten many patients’ day.
Fundraising
Volunteers help support several fundraising opportunities, with proceeds benefiting the hospital and patient services.
Lights of Love
The Lights of Love Project has generated over half a million dollars in the past 30+ years to help support cancer and oncology services for our patients and community.
Fundraising Events
Throughout the year, our volunteers and Auxiliary host an array of bake sales, jewelry sales, uniform sales and more to help generate funds for nursing scholarship, cardiac rehabilitation exercise equipment, play equipment and toys for our pediatric patients.
Mission
Volunteer Services matches the skills, talents, and interests of individuals 15 year of age and older with various needs at UNC Lenoir Health Care.
The goals of the Volunteers are to support UNC Health Lenoir and its mission, respond to the needs of patients and their families, enhance the community’s understanding of health care through educational programs and outreach activities, and to maintain on going sources of revenue to meet present and future hospital needs.
If you're interested in volunteering, learn more about our volunteer qualifications and expectations. We can't wait to meet you!
