Volunteer Projects

The following is a list of areas that are in frequent need of volunteers:  

Childcare
Childcare works with children who are sick or recovering from treatments such as free cleft palate surgeries or blood transfusions.  Opportunities for volunteers range from organizing art therapy programs that include reading, drawing, playing games, and/or learning music, to spending one-on-one time with children to learn their stories and offer comfort and friendship.  Additional opportunities may arise to interact and care for the mothers of children during their visits to the hospital.

Construction
We are constantly in the process of improving our facilities to provide better care and a comfortable environment for our patients.  For volunteers skilled in masonry, carpentry, painting, or installation, you may help to advance our building projects.

Food Services
Volunteers working in the food services program help prepare meals in the third floor kitchen and assist in serving both patients, their families or guardians, and volunteers during mealtime.  This is a great time to visit and establish relationships with those in the hospital.

Hospital Ambassador
As a volunteer ambassador, you become the face that families come to recognize as they wait in the hospital for their loved-ones in treatment.  You help to welcome and socialize with visitors and may assist in showing a visitor to an available bed in which they can spend the night.  We also invite your help in gathering patient feedback regarding their treatments, and in distributing daily newspapers, magazines, books, and DVD’s to patients, for their entertainment.

Hospital Chaplain
A chaplain takes care of many of the spiritual and social needs around the hospital.  As a hospital chaplain, you will prepare morning devotions for hospital patients and/or students at the School of Nursing.  You may also choose to visit patients for counseling and/or prayer, and help distribute daily newspapers, magazines, books, and DVD’s for their enjoyment.  With so many visitors throughout the day, chaplains can help arrange events, such as movie nights and music performances, for patients and their families.

Media
We are always in need of volunteers passionate about media arts and communication.  Through video, still pictures, writing, drawing, or painting, you can capture the lives changed through Mercy Hospital and help us spread the word back home of what is happening in India.

Rural Clinic & Free Care
Every day, doctors and nurses travel from Mercy Hospital to rural, outlying clinics to provide free medical care.  Volunteers will travel to these rural areas and help both with patient care and management.