Every year, UF Health Shands Volunteer Services places nearly 4,000 volunteers throughout our hospitals and other UF Health departments and practices. The program allows volunteers to work alongside our care teams in a variety of health care settings.

Irene Kellner, a UF Health Shands volunteer, brings a little sunshine to those waiting for their family members to come out of surgery.

Following the completion of the UF Health Heart & Vascular and Neuromedicine hospitals, additional volunteer opportunities will open up.

“Many of our volunteers are very goal-driven in terms of their career plan,” said Lindsay Krieg, Volunteer Services director. “The new hospitals will allow us to place volunteers directly in the field of medicine that they are interested in.”

Volunteers devote thousands of hours of their time and work alongside our teams to make a positive impact on patients, staff and visitors. Assignments vary depending on program availability, need and volunteer interest. Some deliver flowers, serve at information desks or guide patients to appointments; others work in clinical areas such as patient units, outpatient practices or ORs.

Volunteer Services is continuously searching for new faces to brighten our hospitals and outpatient practices.