Volunteers

We make a living from what we earn,
We make a life from what we give…
What we do for ourselves, dies with us
But what we do for others, lives forever.
- Winston Churchill

The St. John's Mercy Hospice Volunteer Program began in 1980 to provide support services for terminally ill patients and their families. When families are faced with the overwhelming physical and emotional demands of terminal illness, this extraordinary group of volunteers steps in to provide comfort, confidence and understanding that helps make even the most difficult situations a little easier to bear.

We could never praise our volunteer group too highly! The role of hospice volunteer is not an easy one. It requires more than just time, it requires a selflessness and generosity of spirit, and an ability to open your heart everyday to families in pain. They provide more then just physical support – the emotional and spiritual guidance they share is often a vital step in the healing process. Our volunteer group is truly an integral part of our interdisciplinary hospice team, and we are deeply grateful for their outstanding support and dedication!

Thinking about becoming a Hospice Volunteer?
With offices in St. Louis and Washington, Missouri, we serve St. Louis City and 13 surrounding counties, and the need for volunteers to cover this geographically diverse area is always high. All patient care volunteers will undertake a six week training course that will walk you through all aspects with confidence. Classes take place each Spring and Fall in both office locations. Please contact either of our two Volunteer Coordinators, as listed below for details.

Paula Minogue , St. Louis: (314) 729-4415 or paula.minogue@mercy.net
Stephanie Marquart, Washington: (636) 239-8862 or Stephanie.marquart@mercy.net

In addition to working directly with patients and families we also have several volunteers who support our fundraising efforts with special event planning, office administration, and by serving as community ambassadors for end of life issues. If you want to know how you can help, just give us a call!

About our Volunteers
Being a hospice volunteer is not just about giving time, it’s about becoming a member of a great new family! This is a wonderfully diverse group, who also provides friendship and support for each other, and enjoy getting together for the various social events we host for our volunteers throughout the year. It is a true joy to work with our volunteer group, and many lasting friendships have been made over the years!

Read volunteer feedback and view our volunteer photo album.

Read about our recent Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon.

Upcoming Events

• New Volunteer Training Sessions in St. Louis and Washington, Missouri
  Being a hospice volunteer is not just about giving time, it’s about becoming a member of a wonderful new family! Our patient volunteers spend time with patients and their families, helping ease the burden at this difficult time by providing companionship, comfort, caregiver relief, helping with errands and doctors visits, and a wealth of support and understanding that provides a vital service, and our volunteers all say this experience rewards them much more than they ever feel they give! In addition we also welcome volunteers who would like to help with office based tasks, including bereavement follow up calls, administrative task and participation in our fundraising efforts through special event planning and assistance.

Training is planned in St. Louis and Washington for September and October. Please contact our Volunteer Coordinators, as below, for details.

For more information on our Volunteer Program or to be placed on our mailing list, please complete the form below and click submit. Our Volunteer Coordinator will be in touch with you in the near future.