Volunteer or donate

By volunteering at a VA health care facility, you'll provide critical support to our nation's heroes. 

To become a volunteer, fill out an application. Once completed, print the application, sign it, and send it by email to vamhcsvoluntaryservice@va.gov, or through the U.S. Postal Service to one of the following locations where you would like to volunteer:

Baltimore VA Medical Center
Voluntary Service (135)
10 North Greene Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Loch Raven VA Medical Center
 Voluntary Service (135)
3900 Loch Raven Boulevard
 Baltimore, MD 21218

Perry Point VA Medical Center
Voluntary Service (135)
Building 15H, Room 214
Perry Point, MD 21902

A Voluntary Service Specialist will contact you to schedule an interview.

In addition to supporting Veterans in your area, you'll enjoy the following benefits as a VA volunteer: 

• Free meals during shifts of four or more hours
• Free parking at your volunteer facility 
• Educational opportunities, such as CPR training
• Free annual flu shots
• Job skills development
• Career exploration opportunities
• Contribute to the Veteran community
• Gain valuable experience in a health care setting
• Meet interesting people
• Earn community service hours towards school requirements
• Make a difference by giving back to others
• Service those who served – our Nation’s Veterans

Patient care:

• Ambassadors - Greet patients and visitors, and provide directions and assistance.

• Book Cart - Deliver books and magazines to patient rooms and waiting areas.
• Chaplain Service - Escort patients to and from religious services.
• Coffee Program - Prepare and serve coffee and refreshments to inpatients and outpatients.
• Drivers - Drive patients to and from their home to VA clinic appointments.
• Escort Service - Escort patients to various clinics and appointments.
• Food and Nutrition - Help patients select menu items, open containers, cut food into bite-sized portions, and eat during mealtimes.

• Nursing Units – Distribute water to inpatients and assist nursing staff as needed.
• Recreation – Assist with arts and crafts projects, bedside games, field trips, and various activities.

Administrative support

• Office Assistant - Type, file, answer phones, keep records, and do data entry.
• Pharmacy – Assist in preparing prescriptions, stocking shelves and unpacking deliveries.

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. 

All volunteers must: 

• Be at least 15 years old
• Commit to a minimum of 100 hours of service

• Complete and submit the Volunteer Application and other associated forms
• Complete a health screening and tuberculosis (blood) test

• Complete fingerprinting and a special agency background check

• Complete a 30-day probationary period

Your business or community group can make a difference in the lives of our Veterans. We host group volunteer opportunities at many of our facilities and can tailor a volunteer project that serves our Veterans, meets the needs and skills of your employees or group members, and helps us carry out our mission. Group volunteer opportunities may include:

• Playing bingo - Provide volunteers to call bingo. Your group needs to bring prizes or coupon books purchased at our Canteen.
• Throwing a party - Your group will provide the decorations and refreshments for group social events such as birthday parties, ice cream socials, holiday celebrations, and Veterans Day activities.
• Leading a craft project - Your volunteers will bring the supplies and instruct our Veterans with projects such as painting, pottery or woodworking.

To get started, contact our Voluntary Service office at the location where you would like to volunteer. 

If you have questions about volunteering or making a donation, please send an email to VAMHCSVoluntaryService@va.gov or call one of our Voluntary Service offices:

Baltimore VA Medical Center
Room 6A-164
Phone: 410-605-7100

Loch Raven VA Medical Center
Room 124
Phone: 410-605-7000, ext. 54613

Perry Point VA Medical Center
Building 15H, Room 214
Phone: 410-642-1038

Monetary donations are used to support a variety of patient activities and services throughout the VA Maryland Health Care System. All monetary donations are tax deductible and there are no administrative costs, so 100 percent of your donation will go directly to support the needs of Veteran patients. When making a monetary donation, please specify the donated fund account you would like to support.

The following are a few of the donated fund accounts that are always in need of support: 

• All Purpose Account (Account 1122) – Used to support a variety of patient needs and activities throughout the VA Maryland Health Care System.
• Holiday Account (Account 1097) – Used to support various patient holiday activities and gift distributions throughout the VA Maryland Health Care System for national and VA holidays.
• Homeless Veterans Account (Account 1098) – Used to provide homeless and at-risk Veterans with meals, clothing and emergent transportation resources.
• National Games Account (Account 1050) – Used to pay for the transportation and lodging expenses for Veteran patients to attend the National VA Games such as the Winter Sports Clinic, Golden Age Games, Wheelchair Games, and Creative Arts Festival.

Please send a check payable to VA Maryland Health Care System to the following address and list the donated fund account you would like to support in the “Memo” section of the check:

Perry Point VA Medical Center
Voluntary Service (PP/135/VS)
Building 15H, Room 214
Perry Point, MD 21902

E-Donate is an online donation option that allows you to select from a number of accounts that are designated to support the specific needs of Veteran patients throughout the VA Maryland Health Care System. Donations can be made by credit or debit card.  Donations are made through the U.S. Department of Treasury Pay.gov website. A minimum of $5.00 is required for all online donations through E-Donate.

After you get to the Pay.gov website, click on  “Continue to the Form” on the lower right. On the next page, select “VA Maryland Health Care System (Baltimore, Loch Raven & Perry Point VA Medical Centers) from the drop-down menu under “Facility.” Complete the required fields and select the account you want your donation to support from the drop-down menu under the “Program for Donation” field.

For more information about E-Donate, please call our Voluntary Service office at , ext. 25409.

Make an Online Donation

We accept in-kind donations of specific items that are needed by our Veteran patients such as forever postage stamps, comfort items, craft kits, and puzzle books. These in-kind donations are used for the comfort and enjoyment of our Veteran patients while they are receiving care at any one of our facilities. In-kind donations should be new, clean and in good condition. The need for in-kind donations varies at each facility, so please contact your local Voluntary Service office to get a listing of our current needs before dropping of your donation.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, please contact your local Voluntary Service office to schedule a time to drop off your donation.

If you have questions about in-kind donations or you would like to schedule a time to drop of your donation, please send an email to VAMHCSVoluntaryService@va.gov or call one of our

Voluntary Service offices:

Baltimore VA Medical Center – 410-605-7100

Loch Raven VA Medical Center – 410-605-7000, ext. 54613

Perry Point VA Medical Center – , ext. 25409

Planned giving is another way you can support the needs of Veteran patients at the VA Maryland Health Care System through the form of a bequest. A bequest allows you to leave a portion or all of your estate to the VA Maryland Health Care System or one of our facilities as a part of your Will. There are several rooms and facilities throughout the VA Maryland Health Care System that have been named in honor of community members and Veteran patients who have made significant contributions as directed in their Will to support the needs of our Veterans patients.

For additional information about planned giving or how a bequest can be used to benefit Veteran patients throughout the VA Maryland Health Care System, please call our Voluntary Service office at , ext. 25409.

Memorial donations are a great way to pay tribute to Veterans and to honor their service in the armed forces. In lieu of flowers, many families request donations be made to the VA Maryland Health Care System after a Veterans death to support the needs of various patient activities and programs at one or all of our facilities. This can be done by informing friends, family members and the funeral home about making a memorial donation to the VA Maryland Health Care System in lieu of sending flowers, and by including information about the memorial donation in the Veteran’s obituary.

To make a memorial donation, checks should be made payable to the VA Maryland Health Care System. In the “Memo” section of the check, it should be noted “In memory of (the Veteran’s name).” Checks should be made to:

Perry Point VA Medical Center
Voluntary Service (PP/135/VS)
Building 15H, Room 214
Perry Point, MD 21902

An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the donor and, if requested, a list of contributors will be mailed to a designated family member of the deceased Veteran. You may also designate how the memorial donations are to be utilized to benefit patient care throughout the VA Maryland Health Care System. 

Call our Voluntary Service Office at , ext. 25409, for more information about memorial donations.

In addition to supporting the needs of Veteran patients, you'll enjoy the following benefits by making a donation to the VA Maryland Health Care System: 

• Support those who served
• All donations are tax deductible
• There are no administrative costs
• 100 percent of your donation will go to support the needs of Veterans patients
• Make a difference by giving back to others
• Your donation will pay for patient expenses outside the scope of the VA budget

If you have questions about making a donation to the VA Maryland Health Care System or you would like to schedule a time to drop of your donation, please send an email to VAMHCSVoluntaryService@va.gov or call one of our Voluntary Service offices:

Baltimore VA Medical Center – 410-605-7100

Loch Raven VA Medical Center – 410-605-7000 ext. 54613

Perry Point VA Medical Center – 410-642-1038

You can also express your interest in making a donation to the VA Maryland Health Care System by completing the Donate at a VA Facility Online Form.