Volunteers Hold Up Half the Sky
April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month
You see them in the Gift Shop, at Information Desks and at the bedside. They bring books to patients, deliver meals to homebound seniors, give comfort to families and provide a ready ear. They’re even involved with research projects. They’re UMHS volunteers, and they number 1,525 strong.
“Volunteers are true members of our team. They help us provide that personal touch and they support our commitment to patients and families first,” says Alfreda Rooks Jordan, director, Volunteer Services.
Jordan says that volunteers touch just about every aspect of our organization. While Volunteer Services asks for a minimum sixmonth commitment, it is common to run across volunteers who have been active for 10, 20 or even 30 years.
And the services volunteers provide are as varied as the volunteers themselves.
Inez Mason, who turned 87 this year, started volunteering in 1993 after retiring from her job as a U-M biochemist, a post she held for 31 years. If you’ve ever received a Gifts of Art flyer or a mailing from the Cancer Center, chances are you’ve seen Mason’s work.
George Lowrie has held and rocked babies on Mott Level 5 for 21 years. Lowrie volunteers every Tuesday and Thursday, for eight to 10 hours a day.
Janaki Dronamraju, an employee at the Turner Senior Resource Center, volunteers, too. When she’s not working, you can find her folding linens, stocking supply carts or handing water to patients on 6B.
Jordan says one of the major benefits of having volunteers help in a unit or department is that staff are freed up to focus on our mission.
“By providing so much to so many, volunteers enhance our organization’s strengths on many levels,” she says.
Jordan offers the following advice for departments that want to increase their odds of obtaining—and keeping—volunteers:
- Look at the type of role you want the volunteer to play.
- Develop a well-thought-out plan for what the volunteer will do.
- Provide opportunities for volunteers to learn about the hospital environment or a particular health care area. After all, he or she could be a future UMHS employee.
For more information, contact Volunteer Services at 734-936-4327 or UMHS.volunteer@umich.edu, or visit www.med.umich.edu/volunteer.
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