Volunteering at Children's Hospital

Thank you for your interest in joining the Children’s Hospital New Orleans volunteer team. We have a diverse group of more than 400 volunteers who selflessly devote thousands of hours each year to support the hospital staff and our patients and families. Whether playing with children during wait times or helping families find their way in the halls, the volunteers at Children’s Hospital make a difference providing a special human connection that often eases the stress for patients and families going through difficult times. Please note that our volunteers can volunteer in clinical areas, but volunteering doesn’t provide an opportunity to shadow a physician, nurse or other health care provider. Click here to learn more about Career Shadowing.

Before Volunteering You Must Complete the Following Steps:

1. Fill out and submit the online application form.
2. Schedule and complete a personal interview with Volunteer Services. To set up your interview. please email chvolunteers@lcmchealth.org.
3. Bring documentation of required hospital health screenings to your interview (including seasonal flu vaccine).
4. Schedule and attend a three-hour general orientation.
5. Receive department/program specific training.

Children’s Hospital Health Screening Requirements

1. Copy of vaccination records, up to date on all vaccinations (including flu shot)
2. Current Tuberculosis Skin Test or Blood Assay Test within last six months
3. Documentation of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccination X2 and Varicella vaccination X2

If there is no documentation of two vaccinations or titers are not positive for the Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella, then further vaccination is needed. Children's Hospital provides the TB skin test and MMR and Varicella titer tests free of charge.

Volunteers can help in the following ways:

Amy's Art Cart

Amy’s Art Cart is a mobile art cart that serves children both in the hospital and those coming for doctors’ appointments. It is a specially designed, hospital-safe cart, stocked with art supplies, coloring books, craft sets, board games and even a mini library to bring joy and a creative outlet to hundreds of kids. Volunteers take the cart from room to room daily. Amy’s Art Cart inspires children to use their own creativity and imagination to help them cope with the hospital environment and medical procedures. For a list of supplies and guidelines to purchase supplies to be used on the cart please email chvolunteers@lcmchealth.org. Monetary donations can be made to Amy’s Art Cart here.

Comfort Cart

The comfort cart is a cart that volunteers take to the inpatient nursing units to provide staff with support during their fast-paced work day. The cart is stocked with snacks, drinks, prizes and stress relief items for staff.

Child Life and Creative Therapies:

Playroom

The playroom offers a welcoming environment where hospitalized children of all ages, as well as their family members, can gather to play with toys, participate in board games, video games or arts and crafts. It allows patients the opportunity to get out of their rooms and be kids. The playroom is a medical and procedure-free safe zone where patients are encouraged to make their own choices. With the guidance of Child Life staff, volunteers oversee and coordinate playroom activities.

Teen Room

The Teen Room is a place for hospitalized teens to “hang out” and be with their teenage siblings and friends, ages 13 to 21. This room is specifically designed to meet the needs of teen and young adult patients. The teen room is outfitted with music, movies, video game systems, computers and a variety of interesting arts and crafts. With the guidance of Child Life staff, volunteers oversee and coordinate teen room activities.

Gift Shop

The Children's Hospital Gift Shop is staffed by adult volunteers and is a great place to have contact with patients and their families, visitors and hospital staff.

Rock a Baby

The Rock a Baby Program is a hospital-wide program for our infants. A pool of volunteers staffs this program and volunteers assist on an as-needed basis. Adults are also needed to cuddle infants in the NICU. Volunteers will hold, comfort, rock, swaddle, sing, and/or talk to babies. Human touch has been proven to have a positive effect of the healing process of infants.

Volunteer Pool

Another way you can volunteer to help patients and families is by joining our pool of volunteers. These volunteers help by escorting patients and families throughout the hospital, delivering superhero balloons to newly admitted patients, and providing snacks and coffee to parents and siblings in the surgery waiting area. Volunteers with this assignment may also be asked to deliver mail or a gift to a child's room.

Partnering with Angel's Place

Children’s respite service is Angel’s Place's ongoing mission. Respite volunteers watch over Angel’s Place children on the Hematology/Oncology Unit or provide household aid to the family. These respite volunteers are here to lend a hand when families that have children hospitalized because of cancer, need any kind of basic help while in the hospital. For more information contact, Mary Kantlehner at www.angelsplacenola.org

Partnering with the Visiting Pet Program

For more than 25 years Children’s Hospital has had pets visit our patients and families. Pets and their handlers are screened, trained and approved by the Board of Directors of the Visiting Pet Program. Visiting Pet Program Teams visit hospitalized patients and their families in their room, playroom areas, attend special events held for the patients and can be called upon to greet families and help them find their way in the hospital. For more information, please contact The Visiting Pet Program via their website.

Partnering with Songs for Kids Foundation

Children’s Hospital's Music Therapy Program offers a Music Volunteer Program through the Songs for Kids Foundation. Musicians can visit patients and families in their rooms, in our playrooms and during special events to offer a brief musical break from the stressors of hospitalization. If you are interested in this program, please contact our music therapist, Kimberly Bell. To learn more about the Songs for Kids Foundation, check out their website.

Service Projects and Fundraising Events

There are several opportunities available for community volunteers to pool their talent and energy on special projects to benefit our young patients and their families. The Development Department can help your group find volunteer opportunities at one of our hospital’s signature events, including Boo at the Zoo, the Jazz Half Marathon and 5K and other fundraising events and projects. To sign up or for more information, please contact the Children's Hospital Office of Development.

How to contact the Volunteer Services Office:
Office Phone: 504.894.6802
Office Fax: 504.894.5349
Email: chvolunteers@lcmchealth.org

Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Evening appointments are available by special request.