As a VA volunteer, you’ll support Veterans in your area, meet interesting people, and gain valuable experience in a health care setting. You’ll also enjoy benefits like: Contribute to Veteran community

• Free Canteen meals during shifts of 4 or more hours
  • Free parking at your volunteer facility 
  • Annual Volunteer Recognition Awards Program
• Free annual flu shot
• Job skills development
• Job search opportunities

Whatever your interests, we have volunteer opportunities that are right for you. In order for us to help 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. Some of our volunteer opportunities may include:

Patient care 

• Escort - Bring patients to medical clinics, chapel, recreation, and programs.
• Food and nutrition - Help patients select menu items, open containers, cut food into bite-size portions, and eat during mealtimes.
• Front desk - Greet outpatients, guests, visitors, and patients' families, answer phones, and transfer calls at the information desk.
• Medical clinics - Visit with patients and run errands.
• Hospice – Provide comfort and companionship to Veterans in the final days and hours of their lives.
• Recreation - Help with activities like arts and crafts projects, bedside games, field trips, and bedside movies.

Administrative 

• Blood bank – Alphabetize paperwork and help with snacks.
• Book Cart– Deliver or help Veterans select books and magazines.
• Healing Garden – Trim landscape, and weed and water garden.
• Office assistance - Type, file, answer phones, keep records, enter data, and call patients to remind them about appointments.
• Transportation - Drive patients from their homes to VA medical centers. Must have current driver’s license, auto insurance, and physical exam.

Other assignments not listed here may also be available. If you’re interested in volunteering, or if you have special skills to offer, please contact us so we can discuss how you can best help our Veterans. 

While some volunteer assignments must be performed at specific times, most are flexible and can fit your schedule. We also have special short-term projects.

Help pick-up outpatients receiving treatments or therapy and other outpatient appointments. To fill this role, you must have a current, valid Texas driver’s license and automobile insurance and pass a physical exam. Hours vary.

We are looking for volunteer drivers for: Beaumont, Woodville, Conroe, Lake Jackson, Texas City, Galveston, Bay City, Brazoria County, and Waller County. 

High school students, under the age of 18, are eligible to apply for our Summer Teen Volunteer Program. Each year, new and returning students must apply for the program to be considered for the current year summer program.

Our youth volunteers learn about the mission of the MEDVAMC and the importance of our I CARE core values. The students represent the VA Center for Development & Civic Engagement department by improving how Veterans and their families experience care. 

Program Requirements:

• Age: You must be 16 years old on or before June 1, 2023

• Time and Hours: Completion of a minimum of 100 hours over 4 to 6 weeks
• Uniform: Required khaki slacks and navy color CDCE logo shirt (slacks provided by student and shirt provided by CDCE) and ID badge
• Questionnaires: Incomplete questionnaires will not be considered; this includes lack of parent/guardian signatures. Questionnaires will only be accepted by email.
• Relatives: You cannot volunteer in the same area as your parent or relative. Only CDCE has the authority to assign teens to specific areas.

• Conduct: We expect each student to act in a professional manner. Student volunteers represent the VA and the Center for Development & Civic Engagement department. Poor conduct will be handled on an individual basis.

To apply to volunteer, visit our Application Portal and choose “Volunteer at a Facility” from the “Volunteer or Donate” option in the top menu. Choose “Houston Michael E. DeBakey VAMC (580)" in the facility field. Once you have submitted your application, a member of our team will contact you. Please note that our process time for potential volunteers can take up to 4 weeks.

Volunteer Requirements

• Minimum 100 hours over 6 months
• Complete Voluntary Service interview
• Must provide Voluntary Service with a current copy of tuberculosis test
• Must provide 2 forms of state approved ID (TDL, SSC, Passport, Military ID card, etc.)
• Background check (provided by MEDVAMC) and VA volunteer ID badge
• VA volunteer badge is required to volunteer
• Volunteer vest 

Once Selected and Approved

• Attend a virtual group orientation and training
• Complete fingerprinting and photo for ID badge
• Complete all required training documents
• Interview with area supervisor
• Start date will be determined by Program Manager and assigned area supervisor

Find out about available internships and fellowships. 

Find out about research studies available for Veterans. 

We are accepting donations for our Veteran patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like to donate any of the items below, please contact Voluntary Service us at 713-794-7135 or by email at vhahouvolunteer@va.gov.

We ask that all donated items are new and not preowned or used, for the protection of our patients. 

Current inpatient needs include:

• Throw blankets
• Back scratchers
• Wall calendars
• Crossword puzzle books, word search, Sudoku
• Card games (Uno, etc.)
• Adult coloring books & coloring pencils
• New paperback books & magazines
• Prepackaged commercial/grocery store snacks; prepackaged holiday candy (regular and sugar free)
• Inspirational books, Readers Digest
• Blankets, hats, t-shirts and other items that have a Branch of Service logo or name (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard)
• Reusable water bottles

Current outpatient needs include:

• Metro bus passes and gas gift cards to assist Veterans with transportation to VA appointments 
• HEB, Kroger, Walmart gift cards ($25.00) for Veterans with food insecurity 

Donations can be made to numerous General Post Fund Accounts to be used for patients. Those funds are: 

• 9002: Recreational Therapy
• 9004: Social Work Emergency Fund
• 9006: General Purpose Fund
• 9011: Visual Impairment Program
• 9012: Social Work Homeless Veterans Program
• 9013: OEF/OIF Program
• 9018: Lufkin VA Outpatient General Purpose
• 9019: Women Veterans
• 9031: Fisher House
• 9032: Special Recreation- National Veterans Games
• 9107: Houston West Vet Center #711-Patient Recreation
• 9110: Houston Southwest Vet Center #710-Patient Recreation
• 9037: Spring Vet Center #731-Patient Recreation
• 9022: Beaumont Vet Center #735-Patient Recreation

Donating is just a click away with an online donation option that provides community members who wish to give back to Veterans at MEDVAMC a simple, safe way to pledge their support to the account of their choice.

The service provides a quick, safe way for you to pledge your support to Veterans online. You choose the medical center, the amount, and the program you’d like to help. And there are no extra fees to use the secure website, so every penny of your donation goes to help Veterans.

Make a donation online.

By mail:

If you'd like to make a monetary donation by mail, please send a check (payable to Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center) to:

Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Attention: Center for Development & Civic Engagement (135)
2002 Holcombe Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77030

In the memo portion of the check, please indicate the General Post Fund number and the intent (fund accounts  are listed in “Donate to a special fund” above). Donations to the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center are tax deductible.

In person:

If you’d like to donate non-monetary items, please contact Voluntary Service at 713-794-7135 or vhahouvolunteer@va.gov to schedule a time to drop-off your donation.