Volunteers are the heart of our house and vital to our mission. Volunteers are key in helping the parents and family members who stay with us while their children receive treatment at Indianapolis-area hospitals.
From making guests feel welcome and comfortable to asking questions to taking care of day-to-day needs, as a volunteer, you’ll play a vital part in helping families heal together.
Here are some answers to our most frequently asked questions about the volunteer programs.
While the kids are being well cared for at the hospital, we are caring for the parents and other family members who are here to support the child.
Although we will have some patients staying at the House, their condition frequently prevents them from interacting with the general public.
We offer volunteer opportunities for individuals who choose to make an on-going commitment of at least six months, as well as service groups of 3-10 individuals for one-off activities.
The volunteer services that are needed most include individual Guest Services in our Family Rooms at Riley Children’s Health and individual Culinary Crew members in our First Floor Family Room lunch and House dinner programs.
Individual volunteers are essential members of our regular service team, supporting families and staff through a variety of meaningful roles. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and commit to serving every other week for a minimum of six months, with shifts ranging from 1.5 to 3 hours.
To get started, volunteers complete an online application, participate in a phone conversation with RMHC staff, pass a background check, and attend a one-time virtual orientation.
Please note: Volunteers interested in serving in the Family Room spaces at Riley Children’s Health must also meet additional onboarding requirements in accordance with the hospital’s volunteer guidelines.
Individual volunteers on our regular service team will have 1-2 training shifts, dependent on their service role with a mentor volunteer before enlisting on a regular volunteer schedule. This training is conducted by both staff and veteran volunteers in a hands-on way.
Onboarding for new and recurring volunteers is on pause from April 20th and will resume in mid-August. If you would like to learn more or fill out an application in preparation for the Fall recruitment season, please check back soon for more details.
We’re grateful to anyone who can: