Volunteers are key to our mission at Ohio’s Hospice. During National Volunteer Week and National Volunteer Month, we extend a heartfelt thank you to these dedicated individuals who go above and beyond to help us provide superior care and superior services to the patients and families we have the privilege of serving. 

We are grateful to our volunteers and volunteer staff for the difference they make across the state of Ohio. Volunteers play a vital role as members of our hospice care team, as they share a wide variety of skills and represent a mix of cultural backgrounds and beliefs.  

Since the beginning of the hospice movement, volunteers have played an important role in building and refining the hospice care we provide today. While Medicare requires that volunteers provide at least 5% of patient care hours, our volunteers contribute far more than required—they bring heart and humanity to everything we do. 

Volunteers can work in direct and non-direct supportive service roles ranging from home healthcare for patients to assisting in an office setting. All volunteers are provided training and an opportunity to identify the kind of contribution they are most comfortable with. 

These are some of our amazing volunteers making a difference in people’s lives and the roles they’ve filled: 

Karen Gallagher has a storied history with Ohio’s Hospice. Her journey, which started in 1986, has run the gamut from administrator to proud volunteer. She is currently offering her time working at the Welcome Center. 

For 25 years, Patty Stricker has served as a volunteer. She knew she wanted to help people and that is exactly what she has done. She is a trainer for new volunteer orientation and currently training to be a Vigil volunteer. 

Since 2021, Mindy Allender and her animal-assisted therapy cat Cheeto have been visiting patients, providing them with the comfort and companionship that only a furry friend can offer. 

Craig Montgomery has volunteered at Ohio’s Hospice for more than a decade, maintaining the garden and solarium at Ohio’s Hospice in Dayton and visiting with patients and families in the Hospice House. 

We are deeply grateful for our volunteers whose compassion and dedication exemplify our mission of Celebrating Life’s Stories®. We invite anyone in our community to join us as a volunteer and help make a meaningful difference in the lives of the patients and families we have the privilege to serve. Whether you can give a few hours weekly or monthly, your presence can bring comfort and joy to those on their end-of-life journey.