Ways to Volunteer

Click on the program names below to learn more about our many opportunities to help make a difference in someone’s life.

• Adult Day Program
• Meals on Wheels Volunteer Drivers
• Corporate Volunteering
• Gardeners
• Grocery Pick up/Shopping
• Hospice & Complementary Therapies
• Hospital to Home Compassionate Care Volunteers NEW!
• Medical Assistance Companions
• Musicians
• Phone Pals & Friendly Visitors
• Russian Speaking Volunteer Opportunities
• Social Activities & Groups
• Administrative Assistants (program on hold)
• Other

Adult Day Program Volunteers

Do you have a special interest in working with older adults who have Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other age-related cognitive impairment?  We need Volunteers need to provide social, recreational and educational assistance to programs located at the Adult Day Program, Dove Centert, Unit 4. Hours are 8:30 – 3:30 Monday – Friday or Tues- Wed until 6pm. A 2 hour commitment either in am or pm is required. This is an opportunity to work alongside our staff and spend time with a wonderful group of older adults.

Meals on Wheels Volunteer Drivers

Volunteer on your own or with a friend and help deliver meals in our community.
Brighten someone’s day by bringing them a meal, showing concern for their well being, having a friendly chat and making sure that all is well.
Create your own delivery schedule, shifts are available Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Mileage is reimbursed while on route.

Corporate Volunteering

At HcH, we have a number of opportunities for groups of corporate employees who want to give some of their time to the community. For example, these groups can spend a morning with us delivering meals to older adults in the GTA through our Meals on Wheels Program. We deliver Monday to Friday from 9am to noon. Our Meals on Wheels program is driven by volunteers who deliver 400,000 meals annually. Delivering meals is more than just ensuring an older adult has food for the day – it’s also a security check to ensure they are safe and in good health. This is a great team building exercise for employee groups.

Sometimes we also have employee groups join us for a few hours of volunteering at our Adult Day Program, where we provide daily programming to adults living with dementia and those who are frail and elderly.

If you want to find out more about these opportunities, you can email us at volunteer@hchigroup.com

“This was a very rewarding experience and my team had an amazing time! I was very impressed by the people, the facility and the entire Circle of Care organization. The amount of food you provide in a year is astounding. It was also amazing to see how far the program reaches!” – Anne-marie, Maple Leaf Foods

HcH also accepts corporate donations. To donate to HcH, visit our Donations page.

Volunteer Gardeners

HcH is piloting a small program to help bring fresh produce to our clients. We invite anyone interested to plant an extra row or a few plants in their home garden and donate the produce to HcH once it has grown. The donated vegetables and fruits will be given to HcH clients, bringing fresh produce to older adults in the community.

If interested, contact us via phone or email us at , volunteer@hchigroup.com.

Grocery Pickup/Shopping

Many of our clients are elderly and frail; this prohibits them from grocery shopping. We are in need of volunteers who can pick up grocery orders once a week after the client places the order with a local store. After picking up the order, you will deliver it to the client’s home and, if needed, assist them with putting the food away. This helps ensure older adults have food in their homes.

Hospice Volunteers

Bring comfort and support to a person facing a life threatening illness. Hospice volunteers offer many specialized services that include companionship, emotional support, and practical assistance to our clients and short-term relief to client families and caregivers. Hospice volunteers are specially trained (mandatory 30 hr training) and are asked to commit to 2-4 hours per week. Training is free and is offered three times a year: winter, spring and fall.

Complementary Therapies for Hospice Clients

We are looking for professionals in Registered Massage Therapy, Reiki, Healing Touch, Therapeutic Touch, Reflexology, Music or Expressive Arts Therapy, Yoga, or Pet Therapy to join our Hospice team and share your skills with our clients.

NEW! Hospital to Home Compassionate Care Volunteer

In collaboration with Hennick Bridgepoint and Mt. Sinai Hospitals, this community-based program assigns a two-person team to a client for up to 16 weeks.

Role Responsibilities:

• Visit clients twice a month and call weekly to ensure well-being – you will make your own schedule to fit the needs of your team & the client
• Provide medical accompaniment if possible
• Teach clients to order groceries online
• Report any concerns to Circle of Care staff

Qualifications:

• Friendly, outgoing, and respectful of seniors’ dignity, privacy, and cultural norms
• Able to recognize when it is necessary to report client concerns back to Circle of Care and not provide medical advice
• Ability to volunteer with new clients every 16 weeks
• You are welcome to apply with a friend to form a 2-person team
• Training will be provided.

Medical Assistance Companions

Volunteers are needed to escort older adults or people with disabilities, who are unable to leave their residence on their own to go to medical appointments. Volunteers accompany clients to their appointment via taxi, TTC, Wheel Trans or iRide. They then ensure the client returns home safely prior to leaving.  Training is provided.

Musicians

Share your musical talents and put a smile on an older adult’s face. We are looking for musicians to give their time once a month at one of our many programs.

Phone Pals

Do you enjoy talking on the phone? Have good communication skills? Phone Pal Volunteers provide regular weekly or daily telephone calls to isolated older adults who have few connections to family members and/or friends. Calls can be made in the comfort of your own home, work or even from Circle of Care. Volunteers often become a telephone friend; a resource and confidante to the client. The ability to speak other languages is not necessary but an asset.

Friendly Visitors

If you or work in North York and have a minimum of 1-2 hours a week to spare, you can make a huge difference with a lonely older adult seeking companionship by visiting him or her in their own home! Clients and volunteers are matched with someone of similar interests and location is prioritized based on your requirements. Languages such as Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian and Hungarian are helpful.

If you live or work in the downtown area, our Sinai Friendly Visiting may be another option for you.

Russian-Speaking Phone Pal

Are you fluent in both Russian and English? Do you enjoy talking on the phone? Have good communication skills? Phone Pal Volunteers provide regular weekly or daily telephone calls to isolated older adults who have few connections to family members and/or friends. Calls can be made in the comfort of your own home, work or even from Circle of Care. Volunteers often become a telephone friend; a resource and confidante to the client.

Russian-Speaking Friendly Visitor

Are you fluent in both Russian and English? If you or work in North York and have a minimum of 1-2 hours a week to spare, you can make a huge difference with a lonely older adult seeking companionship by visiting him or her in their own home. Clients and volunteers are matched with someone of similar interests and location is prioritized based on your requirements. If you live or work in the downtown area, our Sinai Friendly Visiting may be another option for you.

Volunteers for Social Activities and Groups

Volunteers are needed for 3-4 hours between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm, to assist with the planning and execution of social programs for isolated older adults. These groups take place in the Trinity area, two are offered in English and one in Russian. If you are interested in working with older adults and enjoy getting together with other volunteers/clients on a social level, then this is a wonderful opportunity.

Administrative Assistants – PROGRAM ON HOLD

Volunteers are needed to provide support once a week between 8:30 to 4:30 to assist with a variety of office tasks: mailings, computer work, filing, putting together supply orders and welcome packages as well as a number of other administrative duties. This is a great opportunity for an individual looking to gain experience in administration or for newly retired individuals who want to keep busy and give back using their office skills.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Do you have a special talent and idea on how you can volunteer with us? Give us a call. We would love to discuss your idea further.