Home » CHI Saint Joseph Health resumes its volunteers program after year-long pandemic pause

CHI Saint Joseph Health resumes its volunteers program after year-long pandemic pause

Volunteers set to return week of April 19 during National Volunteer Week

LEXINGTON, Ky. – More than a year after CHI Saint Joseph Health paused its volunteer program due to the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers will once again be providing in-person service at Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East in connection with National Volunteer Week.

An estimated 325 volunteers will return to Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. Monday, April 19, is the beginning of National Volunteer Week, which honors and thanks the thousands of volunteers across the United States who provide services to local organizations and communities.

Many of the volunteers have received the COVID-19 vaccination. During the pandemic, they continued their efforts virtually, including calling patients during the in-person hiatus and supporting patients and caregivers in other ways. To celebrate the return of volunteers, each facility will hold a small internal event to welcome them back.

“These volunteers always go above and beyond to help our patients and their families, as well as our own physicians and staff, and our facilities just haven’t been the same without them during the pandemic,” said Leslie Smart, CFRE, president, Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation. “We have all missed their cheerful smiles and positive attitudes, and cannot thank them enough for continuing to step up to help us virtually when we needed it the most. We look forward to welcoming them back into our facilities.”

CHI Saint Joseph Health volunteers help with a variety of tasks at the hospitals, including staffing the information desk, emergency department, surgery waiting area and gift shop; delivering and labeling mail; escorting patients; performing clerical work and providing pastoral care services.

For more information about the CHI Saint Joseph Health volunteer program, visit www.chisaintjosephhealth.org/volunteer.

CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in CHI Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London,  Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. It serves patients in 35 counties statewide.