Community service comes in many forms, and while it's always nice to drop off canned goods at a food pantry, it can seem a bit... impersonal. For volunteers who want to feel that their efforts are making a real impact, consider Youth for Hospice.
A program of United Hospice in New City, Youth for Hospice aims to empower younger volunteers while educating them on the importance of palliative care. Often, hospice patients are overlooked by their communities, but their care—and ensuring that their remaining days are filled with comforting moments—is truly important and necessary.
Currently, Youth for Hospice volunteers are engaged in a variety of fulfilling projects, whether they're making keychains for Vietnam Veterans (as part of the We Honor Veterans Program) or assisting the United Hospice staff and nursing teams by organizing supplies and creating informational packets for patients' families. In light of COVID, high school students can volunteer virtually along with their classmates.
While hospice work isn't for the feint of heart—the patients are terminally ill, and that can weigh heavily on one's mind—for these volunteers, it feels good to know that they helped to make a positive impact for patients and their caregivers.