So Many Ways to Help: Volunteer
Whether you work directly with patients in hospice, behind the scenes, or volunteer for Festival of Trees or other special events, when you volunteer with Cascade Health it helps people receive the care, compassion and comfort they need, when they need it most. Patients’ insurance does not always fully cover the cost of all our programs, and volunteers help us to stretch our budget without sacrificing the quality of our services.
Explore volunteer opportunities or click below to email us for more information.
Hospice Volunteers
Hospice volunteers provide direct support to people in our home hospice and Pete Moore Hospice House programs, or hospice-related administrative help. Volunteers provide companionship, help with errands, alternative comfort therapies and more to bring comfort to people at the end of life, or can work behind the scenes.
16 hours training
1 year+ commitment
2-4 hours/week
Interaction with people and families during times of stress and illness
Focused on companionship, domestic assistance or administrative tasks
Requires comfort with death and dying
Significant emotional investment for patient contact positions
General Program Volunteers
Program volunteers provide administrative, support and event assistance to our Home Health, Palliative Care and Bereavement programs, and limited support for Pete Moore Hospice House. These volunteers may compile patient packets or mailings, stock supplies, greet guests at memorial events and more.
Minimal training
Short-term commitment
1-4 hour shifts typical
Interact with professional staff and/or event attendees
Focused on administrative, event preparation and customer service roles
Some jobs require comfort in an office setting and/or with groups
Festival of Trees Volunteers
The Cascade Health Foundation’s annual Festival of Trees event is our largest annual fundraiser, and a holiday tradition in our community. From tree designers to greeters and cashiers to clean-up crew, this delightful event wouldn’t be possible without volunteers.
Minimal to moderate training
Short-term term commitment
Shifts starting at 3 hours
Interact with professional staff and/or the public, including children
Focused on event preparation, crafting, decorating and customer service roles
Some jobs require comfort with large groups
What to Consider
Volunteering can make a huge impact on the community, and it can be incredibly rewarding. Volunteering has been shown to broaden your social network, enhance mental wellbeing, improve physical health and make you happier!
Finding the right fit is an important part of making sure the time you give makes a meaningful difference to others and is fulfilling for you. Here are some things to consider before deciding if Cascade Health volunteer options are a good fit for you.
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Cascade Health’s mission is to improve quality of life in our community by helping to support and provide quality, charitable, compassionate health care now, and for generations to come. We value integrity, professionalism, respect and relationships. We believe that every person deserves exceptional health care and are committed to making every patient and family we are privileged to serve feel respected and welcomed regardless of race, nationality, religion, beliefs, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or source of payment. We are proud of our purpose and if you would be proud to be part of our team, we welcome you to explore our volunteer (or employment!) opportunities and contact us if you would like to learn more about what it’s like working with us.
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Different volunteer positions require different training and time commitments. For instance, our hospice program requires significant training and a minimum of a 1-year commitment. Our event volunteers, however, may participate after a 15-minute training session before one 3-hour shift. As you look through our opportunities and requirements, think about how much time you are willing to devote.
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The experience of volunteering to hold the hand of a person with no family while they pass away is obviously much different than welcoming children to meet Santa at the Festival of Trees. We encourage you to think about why you are interested in volunteering and what you hope the experience is like before deciding to volunteer. We are happy to speak candidly with you and answer any questions you might have — just contact us!
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Do you enjoy working with people? Are you a good listener? Do you have a special skill you’d like to contribute? Please think about your talents and the things you love doing and talk to us about where those skills would best be put to use. Of course, volunteering can help you improve or gain confidence in skills that aren’t your strongest, but it’s important to be realistic about what you will be comfortable with to avoid potentially negative outcomes for you or the people with whom you work.
Cascade Health Volunteer Team
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Preeti joined Cascade Health in 2021. She organizes hospice and program volunteers. She holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology from Eastern New Mexico State University, and master’s degrees in gerontology and social responsibility from St. Cloud State University. A community organizer at heart, Preeti enjoys working in hospice and palliative care, especially with older adults. Prior to joining Cascade Health, she spent nine years managing various volunteer programs and has expertise as a DEI trainer and advanced health are directive program coordinator. She was born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal and in her spare time enjoys practicing yoga and meditation as well as gardening, biking and the outdoors.
Thank You
On behalf of our patients and their families, thank you for your interest in volunteering with us. Every volunteer who so generously shares their time and talents with us contributes to our ability to provide excellent health care to our community. Insurance does not fully cover the cost of all our programs, and with the help of volunteers, we are able to stretch our budget without sacrificing the quality of our services.
If you have any questions or would like more information about becoming a hospice, program or Festival of Trees volunteer, please contact us. We would love to speak with you!