Volunteers help make Pappus House a HOME

There are so many ways to volunteer at Pappus House!

Contribute your time and talents in a myriad of ways – resident care, meal planning/cooking, holiday decorating, projects of all sorts, property maintenance, website maintenance, administrative support, the list goes on.

We want you to choose the work that meets your interests and comfort level.  Helping those who are dying may be a new experience for many and can feel intimidating.  That’s why, if you choose resident care as your volunteer commitment, you’ll never be asked to do something you’re not comfortable doing. Many volunteers ease into closer relationships with residents after a time of learning and becoming more comfortable with being in the house and around residents.

Our volunteers will say they get back as much, if not more, than they give by helping residents at this end stage of life to transition peacefully and surrounded by love.  We hope you’ll consider being part of our family at Pappus House.

We are all just walking each other home ~ Ram Dass

 How to Become a Volunteer

Step 1: Complete an Volunteer Application and email it to info@pappushouse.org or mail it to
PAPPUS HOUSE, 253 Cherry St York, PA 17402.  We do our best to respond to applications within one week. If you have not received a phone call or email in that timeframe, feel free to call or email to make sure we have received your application.

Step 2: Meet with a volunteer coordinator to learn more, explore your interests, and take a tour.

Step 3: If you decide volunteering is for you, the volunteer coordinator will help you take the next steps.

Step 4: Become part of the family.

• If you decide to be a resident care volunteer, you will schedule, at your convenience, time to shadow another volunteer – as much or as little as you need to feel comfortable.
• You will be included in the online volunteer community with access to schedules and email updates about residents and changing volunteer needs.

Important:  Our resident care volunteers sign up for 2- or 3-hour shifts.  To stay connected to the house and volunteer community, we ask for a commitment to volunteer 2 times per month. Of course, you can always sign up for more!

Here are some immediate needs and ideas for how you might get involved:

Resident Care – You will be working side-by-side with our paid care staff, providing comfort and support to our residents and their families.

Sitting Vigil – Some residents, in their final hours, may not have family or otherwise prefer another person to sit with them quietly in their room to help them pass peacefully.  Due to its nature, this very important need may arise up with little advance notice.

Meal Planning/Grocery Shopping – Eating is a great pleasure in life and we want our residents to enjoy this pleasure for as long as they are able.  Learning their food preferences and planning/preparing small, tasty meals is a wonderful way to make residents’ stay at Pappus House as pleasurable as possible.

Holiday Decoration – We want our residents to continue to enjoy the little things in life they have celebrated over their lifetimes. We welcome groups to help us tastefully decorate the front porch, common areas and residents’ rooms (there are three rooms).

Singing/Playing the Piano – We’ve had volunteers who offered to come to the Pappus House and give of their musical talents, and it’s been well received by residents, though every resident is different.  If this is a gift you would enjoy sharing, we’d love to have you.

Administrative Support Needs – Behind the scenes help is what keeps us ticking and we appreciate every bit of support that is offered. Here are some immediate needs:

• Volunteer Committee – If you enjoy developing and coordinating programs, this might be for you. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of Pappus House and it is a priority for us to recruit volunteers, engage them in educational opportunities, and also find a way to show our appreciation.

• Lanterns of Light Event Committee – Serve on the committee to help plan our signature fundraiser, a floating memorial event held annually in October.