MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND HAVE FUN!
We believe together, we can create positive change and real impact in our community.
WHY VOLUNTEER WITH US?
- Meaningful Impact – Your time and efforts directly contribute to improving the lives of patients, their families, and the community.
- Personal Growth—Volunteering offers the opportunity to develop new skills, gain valuable experience, and broaden one’s horizons.
- Community Impact – Become part of a welcoming and inclusive team of volunteers who share your passion for making a difference in Nevada County.
- Flexible Commitment – We understand that your time is valuable. That’s why we offer flexible volunteer opportunities to fit your schedule. Many of our volunteers have been with us for decades.
Next Volunteer Training: October 5-9, 2026
Every year, 200+ volunteers give more than 19,000 hours throughout our organization.
We offer a variety of volunteer opportunities to suit your interests, skills, and availability. Whether you want to work in our thrift stores or offices, interact directly with patients and families, or contribute your unique talents, there’s a place for you on our team!
Ways to Get Involved
A great way to make friends, have fun, and “attend” an event!
Each year, Foothills Compassionate Care hosts several fundraising events. Volunteer opportunities range from:
- Planning
- Set up
- Decorating
- Registration
Our signature events:
- Celebration of Lives – May
- Rhythm and Vine – May
- Butterfly Garden of Remembrance – May
- No Show Gala – August
- Moonlight Magic Gala – November
- Tree of Love – November / December
View Upcoming Events
One of the most important things a volunteer can offer a patient is time: time to sit with them, time to listen to their stories and share their lives, and time to offer caregivers a break from the difficult tasks of caring for a loved one.
We provide training and support for volunteers in the Direct Patient Support Volunteer role. Shared information about the hospice philosophy, guidelines, and practical skills gives volunteers the confidence to stay with patients while their caregivers take a break. After training, volunteers are assigned to work with patients and their families within a geographical area convenient for the volunteer. Our Volunteer Coordinator is always available for support, encouragement, and guidance
Volunteers can also offer their professional services to help patients; cosmetologists, licensed or certified massage therapists, pet visitors, and musicians are always welcome additions to our volunteer team.
Bereavement Volunteers focus on comforting the family after the patient dies by supporting them through the bereavement process. Additional training prepares volunteers to provide support through phone calls or visits. Bereavement volunteers also co-facilitate our support groups and provide individual counseling for Hospice of the Foothills families and community members.
Vigil volunteers receive specialized training on the philosophy of hospice, as well as skills in caring for and communicating with patients and their families at the end of life. Volunteers offer comfort, emotional and spiritual support, and information. Most of all, they are a calming, peaceful presence for the individual and their loved ones.
Becoming a volunteer is immensely rewarding and an important commitment. We ask that volunteers serve at least one year and dedicate an average of 2-4 hours per week to patient support. We also require volunteers to complete our patient support training and attend at least one monthly team meeting.
If you have a couple of hours a week, volunteers at our thrift stores help keep our stores stocked with desirable merchandise. Volunteers receive donations, operate cash registers, steam, and tag clothing, and assist customers.
Volunteers are the heart and soul of
Friends of Hospice
Friends of Hospice has been remarkable since its very beginning. Founded in 1981 as a passionate group of volunteers committed to fundraising, these founding members built the foundation of what has grown into today’s comprehensive and deeply compassionate volunteer program.
Their early work – especially through Fundraising and Special Events – shared the Friends of Hospice name throughout the community, raising vital funds, awareness, and support that made expansion possible.
Because of their dedication, Friends of Hospice has evolved into an all-encompassing volunteer network that now includes multiple departments:
- Board of Directors / Board of Trustees
- Fundraising / Special Events
- Direct Patient Support / Professional Services
- Bereavement / Dying Vigil
- Gift & Thrift
Each department plays a vital role in supporting patients, families, and programs, and all are united by the legacy established by those original, core volunteers. We honor and thank our founding volunteer members whose vision, hard work, and generosity continue to shape and strengthen the Friends of Hospice volunteers that we know and love today.
QUESTIONS? Reach out to Volunteer Coordinator Meredith Melgar