What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good. — Aristotle
For nearly 60 years, volunteers have been a vital part of The University of Tennessee Medical Center. Whether you’re a teen, college student or adult looking to share your time and talent, there’s a volunteer opportunity for you.
Volunteer Services coordinates the activities of three main groups of volunteers: Adult Volunteers, College Students, and Teen Volunteers. And lifting the spirits of our patients and families is what the volunteer program is all about.
To learn more about becoming a member of our volunteer team, read about our requirements and the benefits gained by volunteering.
Now taking applications for:
In 2019, nearly 300 people volunteered across 43 departments throughout the medical center. They logged more than 40,000 hours, saving the medical center nearly $915,000 in labor costs.
Our volunteers range from age 14-95. Twenty-six percent are Teen Volunteers (14-17 years old), 14 percent are College Students and 60 percent are Adult Volunteers.
Why do our volunteers keep coming back? Because they are passionate about making a difference at the medical center and in their community. And they reap great benefits from volunteering, in happier and longer lives, and even in medical center perks.
Volunteer Appreciation
1962: The first volunteers started at the medical center
1972: The Volunteer Auxiliary opened our hospital Gift Shop
750,000+: The number of hours volunteers have donated since 1962
14-95: The range of ages of medical center volunteers
The first volunteers began working at the medical center in 1962. And 10 years later, the Volunteer Auxiliary opened the hospital’s Gift Shoppe. Since then, the Auxiliary has provided more than 750,000 hours and $2 million to the Medical Center.
Proceeds from the Gift Shop, along with other volunteer fund-raising efforts, provide equipment and financial assistance to various departments. Plus, all proceeds from vendor events are reinvested into the medical center. Here are some examples of items and assistance that volunteers have helped provide:
Already a volunteer? Access your account to sign up for shifts or make changes to your schedule.
“Volunesia (noun): That moment when you forget your volunteering to help change lives, because it’s changing yours” — Anonymous