VA New Jersey Health Care System Celebrates Volunteers During National Volunteer Week
PRESS RELEASE
April 19, 2022
Lyons , NJ — In recognition of National Volunteer Week, April 17-23, the East Orange and Lyons Campus will honor its volunteers who support local Veterans with events throughout the week and a public campaign encouraging other citizens to give back.
Volunteers have been valued partners at VA for more than 75 years and provided countless hours of support to Veterans.
Due to the pandemic, we were unable to have volunteers at the facilities beginning March 2020 through all of 2021. However, this did not change the enthusiasm and dedication our current and prospective volunteers continued to display during that time. They stayed in touch with the Center for Development and Civic Engagement staff as the staff did as well.
“Being a volunteer is in keeping with all it means to serve in the military. Volunteers fill our ranks in all branches of service during peace and war. VA Volunteers and employees in the Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) help care for those who put their lives on the line when our nation needed them the most”, Juliza Ramírez-Wylie, Associate Director at Lyons Campus, VANJHCS.
National Volunteer Week also presents an opportunity for other civically minded individuals to join the ranks of volunteers serving Veterans. There are many ways to volunteer. For instance, our recently implemented family visitation program is designed to have our volunteers assist with transporting our Veterans to an identified visiting area to meet with their families. This gives our Veterans an opportunity to sit and talk with their family and loved ones.
It's a chance to give back to those who gave so much for us!
No medical experience is necessary to become a VA volunteer and volunteers are encouraged to share ideas on how they would like to give back using their unique skills.
Due to the need for continued social distancing for the safety of our volunteers, staff, and Veterans, we will be welcoming back our volunteers within the next couple months. Any inquiries about our volunteer program please contact Lyons CDCE at (908) 604-5814 or East Orange CDCE at (973) 676-1000 ext. 20-1387.
Christine Betros Farrell, Executive Assistant to the Medical Center Director
908-647-0180 ext. 21-4050
