Volunteer or Donate

The VA Boston Healthcare System in Massachusetts is a vital organization that brings greatly needed programs and services to tens of thousands of Veterans. Volunteer contributions help supplement these services and make their hospital stay more enjoyable. VA Boston Healthcare System depends on the goodwill of our benefactors and volunteers, who wish to give something back to America's heroes.

Adult Volunteer Program

This is a great opportunity to join our team to "serve those who have served." Volunteers can perform a number of services. In order to provide you with the best volunteer experience, Voluntary Service will coordinate placement in an area that is compatible for you from the volunteer opportunity list. Please be aware that all areas do not accept volunteers. Upon your questionnaire being accepted, potential volunteers must be pre-screened with staff prior to orientation. Please note that our process time for potential volunteers can take up to 4 weeks.

Benefits

• Free parking
• Free Flu shot
• Annual Volunteer Recognition Awards Program
• Free Meal per day after 4 hours of Volunteering (Week days only)

Volunteer Requirements

• Complete Voluntary Service pre-screen
• Must complete a Medical screening by providing Occupational Health with a current copy of immunizations, flu shot documentation, and tuberculosis test documentation dated within 3 months or Submit to Screening at VHABHS.
• Must provide 1 form of state approved ID (MDL, Passport, Military ID card, etc.) that has photo, some volunteer positions will require additional information

• Background check (provided by Voluntary Service)

• Wearing a Volunteer ID Badge, vest or volunteer shirt, and signing in whenever volunteering, is required

How to Apply

• Visit Volunteer at Facility · Customer Self-Service (va.gov), fill out the form and click submit.

Next Steps Once Selected and Approved

• Schedule an interview for volunteer assignment with the Center for Development & Civic Engagement office
• Complete volunteer application and training documents
• Meet with area supervisor
• Complete fingerprinting and photo for badge

Teen Volunteer Program

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the Boston VA Healthcare System. Student volunteers over the age of 14 and under the age of 18, must have written parental or guardian approval to participate in the volunteer program, and must have written authorization for diagnostic and emergency treatment if injured while volunteering. NOTE: Post-secondary students I.E Trade schools or Technical Schools are not to be considered volunteers while receiving academic credit under a formal affiliation agreement. Please be aware that all areas do not accept student volunteers. Limited positions are available for the Teen Volunteer Program.

Upon your questionnaire being accepted, potential volunteers must be pre-screened with staff prior to orientation. Please note that our process time for potential volunteers can take up to 4 weeks.

Volunteer Requirements

• Parent or guardian must accompany the Student Volunteer through all parts of the in processing of the Volunteer Process
• Complete Voluntary Service pre-screen
• Must complete a Medical screening by providing Occupational Health with a current copy of immunizations, flu shot documentation, and tuberculosis test documentation dated within 3 months or Submit to Screening at VHABHS.

• Parent or guardian Must provide 1 form of state approved ID (MDL, Passport, Military ID card, etc.) that has photo
• Background check (provided by the Center for Development & Civic Engagement)
• Wearing a Volunteer ID Badge, vest or volunteer shirt, and signing in whenever volunteering, is required

How to Apply

• Visit Volunteer at Facility · Customer Self-Service (va.gov), fill out the form and click submit.

Next Steps Once Selected and Approved

• Attend a Volunteer job orientation
• Complete volunteer application and training documents
• Meet with area supervisor
• Create and submit a detailed schedule of days and hours you plan to volunteer

Donate

We sincerely thank you for your interest in donating to VA Boston Healthcare System. This is a great opportunity to support "those who have served." Voluntary Service performs a number of services using donated funds and goods to enhance health and welfare of the Veterans in the VA Boston Healthcare System.

To arrange for acceptance of your donations, please email vhabhsvolunteer@va.gov.

Online Donations

No time to volunteer? Thank a Veteran online in 5 minutes through E-Donate, a new online donation option that provides community members who wish to give back to Veterans in the VA Boston Healthcare System a simple, safe way to pledge their support to the account of their choice. The E-Donate option allows donors to select from a number of accounts to donate to. Just visit  https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/52253675 or scan this QR code...

They link to the VA New England donation page. On the page, simply:

• Press Continue to the Form
• Select VA Boston Healthcare System
• Fill out the form and follow instructions

Donations can be made by credit or debit card. The actual donation is made through a secure site at the U.S. Department of Treasury’s www.pay.gov. A minimum of $5 is required for online donation.

E-Donate also provides the option to make a donation in honor of or in memory of a loved one, or other person of your choice.

Accounts currently available to donate to under “Program for Donation” are listed below. More accounts will be added in the future.

Veterans General Welfare Accounts Brockton Campus (GPF 5201) Jamaica Plains Campus (GPF 5002) West Roxbury Campus (GPF 5101): Donations used at above mentioned Campuses are to assist Veterans and/or their families with general patient activities; Account also supports needs of inpatients including hygiene items, under garments, socks, throw blankets, wheel chair bags, other necessities and the Patient Coffee Cart Program.

Adaptive Sports (GPF 5028): Donations used to support special needs of Adaptive Sports by provides life changing experiences for Wounded Veterans with disabilities and chronic illnesses through sport.

Creative Arts Festival (GPF 5279): Donations used to support special needs of the creative arts as one form of rehabilitative treatment to help Veterans recover from and cope with physical and emotional disabilities.

Fisher House (GPF 5009): Donations used to support special needs of the Fisher House.

Recreation Program-Brockton Campus (GPF 5202)West Roxbury Campus (GPF 5102): Donations used at above mentioned Campuses are to facilitate patient therapeutic activities for leisure education programs, such as admission to sporting events, movies, and providing lunch for patients while on community outings.

Respite Care / Palliative Care (GPF 5075): Donations used to support special needs of Veteran patients and their families in Respite Care/ Palliative Care.

Monetary Donation Needs

Boston VA Healthcare System has many monetary donation opportunities. Monetary Donations can be made to above listed General Post Fund Accounts to be used to assist Veterans and/or their families with general patient activities; Recreation Therapy activities, the Patient Holiday Parties, support special needs of Veteran patients and their families in Respite Care/ Palliative Care, Homeless Veterans, the Women Veterans Program, the Fisher House, the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center, and General Patient Funds. You can coordinate your donation with one of the local Center for Development & Civic Engagement offices locations listed below...

Donations should be made payable to:

VA Boston Healthcare System

In the memo portion of the check, please indicate the General Post Fund number (you can see them listed under Online Donations above) and the intent. Donations to the VA Boston Healthcare System are tax deductible.

Non-Monetary Donation Needs

For non-monetary donations we currently need, please click on the the facility needs lists linked below:

• Brockton Campus
• Jamaica Plain Campus
• West Roxbury Campus

Every donation, no matter how large or small, makes a difference in the lives of our Veterans. We could not provide many of the services for our Veterans if it were not for the generosity of people in the community, the Veteran's service organizations, fraternal organizations, and businesses. Contact the Center for Development & Civic Engagement for more information on ongoing programs and projects that need your help. Your contributions help build strong, healthy communities and demonstrate the importance of citizen participation.

Donations are accepted to help provide our Veteran patients with many things to make their periods of hospitalization and outpatient treatment more pleasant.

Donation drop offs are scheduled 24 hours ahead of time for items. It is requested that a drop off time be scheduled for items, as we do not accept unattended donations. Please contact  one of the local Center for Development & Civic Engagement office locations listed below, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. to coordinate acceptance of your donation.

Books and Magazines

The VA Boston Healthcare System welcomes donations of hardbacks and paperbacks. These donations help enrich and improve our resources. We accept books as donations with the understanding that they may be added to the collection or distributed throughout the medical center campuses.
 

Local Center for Development & Civic Engagement offices of the VA Boston Healthcare System

Brockton VAMC Campus
ATTN: CDCE (135)
940 Belmont Street
Brockton, MA 02301
PH: 774-826-1135
Fax: 774-826-2048

West Roxbury VAMC Campus
ATTN: CDCE (135)
1400 VFW Parkway
West Roxbury, MA 02132
PH: 857-203-5135
Fax: 857-203-5727

Jamaica Plain VAMC Campus
ATTN: CDCE (135)
150 South Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02130-4817
PH: 857-364-2443
Fax: 857-364-4482

Email: vhabhsvolunteer@va.gov to arrange for acceptance of your donations.

Please note:

VA accepting officials may decide to reject offers of gifts or donations of items for any reason including because there is no anticipated need for the items or the maintenance of the items would be out of proportion to their value. We are responsible for providing safe and clean donations. Items that do not meet these criteria will be refused.

The Internal Revenue Service has announced that under the Tax Code, donations to the Department of Veterans Affairs' General Post Fund for exclusively public purposes are deductible from federal income taxes in the manner and to the extent allowable. The announcement reflects the tax law provision which makes those donations deductible as "donations to the United States." A donation to support any of the Department's programs are deductible, whether the donor directs that the donated funds be used for a specific purpose or allows the Department to decide how the donated funds will be used..."