Whether you're already a volunteer or interested in joining
the Stanford USVH Chapter, you can learn more about volunteering
at the Menlo Park Veterans Affairs Hospital by reading below or the links
to the left.
Who We Are
USVH Stanford Chapter volunteers include both undergraduate and graduate students.
As volunteering with the elderly means something different to each person,
our volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds, majors, and interests, all with
the common goal of “giving back to those who gave so much.”
What We Do
Students generally volunteer at least two hours per week, and activities
with veterans vary between student-veteran pairs. At the beginning of each
school year, each volunteer is assigned two veterans to visit each week, but
most students tend to befriend and build lasting relationships with many veterans.
As most veterans look forward to student visits, volunteers are asked to dedicate
themselves to consistently appear at the Veterans Affairs Hospital each week. Consistent
volunteering is also crucial to building meaningful relationships with their veterans.
On a typical day volunteering, students and veterans activities range from
chatting, playing board games, walking around the building or an outdoor
garden, looking at magazines together, watching TV together – it all really
depends on the student-veteran pair. The Director of Special Events,
Brittany Beavers, organizes frequent
activities for both veterans and students to engage in. These special events
also vary. Examples of special events held in the past include a performance by the
Stanford Jazz Orchestra, a pumpkin-decorating
party for Halloween, movie matinees complete with popcorn to munch on,
origami-making parties, and an annual “Art in the Park” event at the Menlo Park
Veterans Affairs Hospital, featuring carnival games and performances by different
student groups. To see examples of events from the 2004-2005 school year, please
click here.
The Stanford Chapter volunteers at the Menlo Park Veterans Affairs Hospital at the
Geriatric-Psychiatric Nursing Home. See directions to the VA
here. The VA is located about a 10 minute drive from
campus, and volunteers go to the VA together each week via carpools. Our chapter
generally volunteers Monday through Friday in the afternoon and evening, and
Saturday and Sunday mornings. However, carpool times and days change from quarter to quarter
depending on carpool driver availability.
