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Volunteer or donate

VA Bay Pines Healthcare System depends on the goodwill of our supporters. You can make a difference when you help us serve our Veterans.

Logo for the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement. The logo consists of three golden rectangles in a row.

Become a volunteer

We are very excited to have a vital, vibrant volunteer force at our facility.  Our goal is to ensure that the volunteer experience at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System is as rewarding to the volunteer as it is beneficial to the patients, families, visitors, and caregivers.  To learn more about becoming a volunteer, please call the Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE), formerly known as Voluntary Service, at .

Corporate, Business and Group Volunteer Opportunities

Are you looking for an opportunity for a group of people to volunteer?  Then we're the place for you!  We can tailor a volunteer project to meet the needs of your employees, your community group, or your members.  Just talk to us.  If we know who you are, what you like to do, when you're available, where you want to volunteer, we can find an assignment for you.

Volunteer Profile

Bay Pines VA Healthcare System volunteers come from all areas of the community and represent a variety of professions, physical abilities, age groups, and ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

All have made the commitment to donate their time to patients, families and visitors and become a part of our community.

Adult volunteers (minimum of 18 years old) who are considered to be Regularly Scheduled are asked to commit to a minimum of 4 hours each week for a minimum of one year.

Teen volunteers, students 15-17 years old, volunteer in the summer and throughout the year.  Teen volunteers must apply during the spring and must be 15 by June 1 of the calendar year.  Teen volunteers must be willing to commit to a minimum of 50 hours to be eligible for the program.

Volunteers are educated about the importance of ethics and confidentiality, professional behavior and appearance, proper patient interaction, universal precautions, infection control, fire safety and information privacy and cyber security.

Unit and area specific training is provided for each placement.  It is possible to cross-train a volunteer in several areas of the hospital.  Every effort is made to match the applicant’s skills, abilities, schedule and interests with the needs of the facility.

Volunteer Benefits

As a member of our volunteer team, you will receive:

  • General orientation to CDCE
  • Job specific orientation
  • Immediate gratification – You earn points for the smiles you induce
  • Improved health
  • Free parking
  • Meal Ticket (after 4 hours of service)
  • Free Flu Shots (for volunteers 18 and older)
  • Letters of Recommendation (after 100 hours of service)
  • Eligibility for scholarships offered by service organizations and VA
  • Training opportunities

Recognition Program

Every hour of volunteer service is deeply appreciated, and service awards are presented each year to honor active volunteers for their contributions to Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.  Volunteers are able to donate their hours to many service/civic organizations.  Teen and adult volunteers are recognized at formal and informal events throughout the year.

Monetary donations made to the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System help to fund recreational activities, purchase amenities that improve the quality of life for patients in our Community Living Center (Nursing Home), Rehabilitation Units, Domiciliary, Mental Health, Hospice, and other long-term and acute care inpatient areas.

Donors are given the option to specify which unit, clinic, or purpose they would like to support with their monetary donation. Rest assured, regardless of whether the donation has a specified purpose, all donations go directly toward supporting the wellbeing of Veterans who entrust their care to Bay Pines VA .

Contact us

If you have any questions about donations, memorials or bequests, please contact our CDCE Office at .

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