Volunteer Opportunities
Here at The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh & Lemieux Family Center, our volunteers serve in a variety of ways. Every role is extremely important as this helps our families, patients, and staff throughout our three programs: Adoption, Child’s Way daycare, and the Pediatric Specialty Hospital.
**PLEASE NOTE: ALL VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES ARE ON PAUSE DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS**
Volunteer Ambassador Program
A Volunteer Ambassador is an essential role within The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh & Lemieux Family Center’s Marketing and Development department. Volunteer must be at least 18 years of age to participate. This role will assist the Marketing and Development Associate and Marketing Manager with awareness efforts and outreach programs. This is vital to our ability to accomplish effective grassroots marketing. He/She will participate in a training program to accurately represent and advocate for The Children’s Home. This voluntary position will help and support with the following:
- Expanding and developing relationships within and outside of the community we serve by attending tabling opportunities and outreach events
- Suggesting potential outreach/awareness opportunities within both the community we serve and outside of our current reach for all three programs: Adoption, Child’s Way, & Pediatric Specialty Hospital
- Assisting in acquiring potential new donors, volunteers, event participants, and referral sources through outreach and awareness events
- Working with the Marketing and Development Associate to analyze all activities and connections made
- Following up with any contacts made
Volunteer Nights
You do not need to obtain clearances or attend a volunteer training to participate in a Volunteer Night at The Children’s Home. These Volunteer Nights are also an opportunity for our younger (under the age of 18) volunteers to get involved in their community! Please try to arrive as close to 6:00 pm as you can. You do not have to attend every volunteer night. A staff person will greet volunteers and show you what to do. We will work until 8:00 pm or leave sooner if work is complete.
WHEN: offered three times a year on the 2nd Thursday of February, July, and September (dates below)
2020 & 2021 DATES: CANCELLED due to COVID-19 restrictions
TIME: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (2 hours or less)
RSVP TO: Meredith Stafford-Chapman at mstafford@chomepgh.org or call (412) 441-4884
Sample volunteer projects include (but are not limited to):
- Crafting & decorating patient door tags
- Assembling press release packets for Marketing Department
- Creating holiday related items (if applicable) such as cards, signs, decorations, etc.
- Beautifying the Lemieux Family Center
- Assembling information packets together for a department
- Assembling mailings for Development Department
- Reorganizing & restocking Austin’s Playroom with new toys
Special Projects
We’re happy to work with groups and individuals to create meaningful projects which fit within your scope of talent! Examples of projects include purchasing a meal for our families in the Lemieux Family Centers, helping with beautification projects inside or outside the facility, or leading a special activity with our kids in Child’s Way. We’d love to hear from you if you have a special project in mind! Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age to participate.
Music Therapists & Volunteer Musicians
We are looking for certified musical therapists and/or volunteer musicians that possess clearances (Act 33, Act 34, FBI fingerprinting, and TB test) to play and perform for the patients and families in the Pediatric Specialty Hospital and Child’s Way daycare.
Art Therapists
We are looking for certified art therapists that possess clearances (Act 33, Act 34, FBI fingerprinting, and TB test) to play and perform for the patients and families in the Pediatric Specialty Hospital and Child’s Way daycare.
Internships
Internships are offered on an as needed basis. When available, they are posted on our website under the Job Opportunities page and/or our Blog. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age to participate. If you’re interested in pursuing an internship/externship or have questions, please contact Dan Clements, HR Specialist, at dclements@chomepgh.org or (412)441-4884 x2044.
Patient Care Volunteers
**Due to high interest in our Patient Care Volunteer program, we have extremely limited capacity to on-board new volunteers at this point in time. Because of this, we can only accommodate a certain number of people at our orientation sessions that we offer and are on wait list. We truly appreciate your interest and passion about becoming a volunteer and invite you to participate in other opportunities through our organization.
Pediatric Specialty Hospital: a 30-bed acute care hospital, utilizes trained volunteers to assist staff in caring for children age birth to 21. Volunteer duties may include “baby holding,” rocking an infant when their family is unable to be present, reading to a young child, assisting in arts and craft projects, therapeutic play or assisting in the completion of homework. Volunteer applicants must be willing to provide attention to children with disabilities and other special needs. Experience with children or in the education or medical fields is beneficial. Must be willing to volunteer between the hours of 8:00 am – 10:00 pm, Monday through Sunday.
Child’s Way: a day care for medically-fragile children, serves children age birth to 21. Volunteer duties may include helping staff with monitoring children, “baby holding”, supervision on playground, assisting with arts and crafts, story time and circle time. Volunteer applicants must be willing to provide attention to children with disabilities and other special needs. Experience with children or in the education or medical fields is beneficial. Must be willing to volunteer between the hours of 8:00 am – 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Eligibility Requirements for Patient Care Volunteers:
- Attend a Volunteer Orientation session at The Children’s Home
- Must be able to comprehend concepts of confidentiality, infection control, and the materials taught at Orientation
- Must complete ALL application materials, attend orientation and demonstrate understanding of the training materials
- Volunteers who will be interacting with children must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be able to make at least a one-year commitment to volunteering a minimum of 4 hours per month
- Must obtain Act 33, 34, and FBI Clearances
- Must have a current TB test with negative results
- Must have two written references provided directly to the Volunteer Coordinator
- Must be capable of physically interacting with an infant or child for a minimum of 1 hour
- Must make appropriate judgments of the patient’s appearance and behavior based on visual and auditory “cues” learned in volunteer orientation and training
- Possess good health and be free of infection or recent exposure to a communicable disease
- Ultimate approval to become a volunteer is left to the discretion of the Volunteer Coordinator and/or the Program Director