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Volunteers are the heart of Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care

Our hospice volunteers are members of the community who donate their time and offer compassionate and caring support to our Hospice patients and their families. Some of our volunteers have had a personal experience with Hospice care; others simply want to give back to our community in a meaningful way. All of our volunteers are carefully screened and are required to complete 18 hours of volunteer training, which is offered two times a year, in the spring and in the fall.

Volunteers are important members of the Hospice Care Team. They provide the same services as a friendly neighbor would. Some of the ways our volunteers help Hospice families include shopping or running errands, preparing a light meal, reading or letter writing, filling in to give family caregivers a break, or simply being present and listening.

Volunteers visit a patient an average of 1-2 times per week, for 1-2 hours. The time commitment can fluctuate depending upon the patient’s needs and the volunteer’s availability. VNHC also has a volunteer Pet Therapy Program and a Flower Delivery Program. In addition, we have volunteers who support and assist our Hospice patients and staff at VNHC’s Serenity House.

If you would like to be a VNHC Hospice volunteer, please submit an Online Volunteer Application or download a copy of the Volunteer Application and fax it to: 805-690-6270 or mail it to: 222 East Canon Perdido Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. To see a schedule of our volunteer training sessions please click here.

To find out more about the volunteer opportunities in the Santa Ynez and Lompoc Valleys click here.