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LONDON – More than a year after CHI Saint Joseph Health paused its volunteer program due to the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers will once again be at Saint Joseph London to begin providing in-person service.

The week of April 19 is National Volunteer Week – a week that honors and thanks the thousands of volunteers across the United States who provide services to local organizations and communities – and during this week, an estimated 325 volunteers will return to Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East.

Many of the volunteers have received the COVID-19 vaccination. During the pandemic, they continued their volunteer efforts virtually, including calling patients during the in-person hiatus and supporting patients and caregivers in other ways. To celebrate the return of volunteers, each facility will hold a small internal event to welcome them back.

“These volunteers always go above and beyond to help our patients and their families, as well as our own physicians and staff, and our facilities just haven’t been the same without them during the pandemic,” said Leslie Smart, CFRE, president, Saint Joseph London Foundation. “We have all missed their cheerful smiles and positive attitudes, and cannot thank them enough for continuing to step up to help us virtually when we needed it the most. We look forward to welcoming them back into our facilities.”

CHI Saint Joseph Health volunteers help with a variety of tasks at the hospitals, including staffing the information desk, emergency department, surgery waiting area and gift shop; delivering and labeling mail; escorting patients; performing clerical work and providing pastoral care services.

For more information about the CHI Saint Joseph Health volunteer program, visit www.chisaintjosephhealth.org/volunteer.

About CHI Saint Joseph Health
CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in CHI Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London,  Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. CHI Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services toward a goal of building a healthier future for all. CHI Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves.

About Saint Joseph London

Saint Joseph London is a 150-bed full-service hospital located in London, Kentucky. Established in 1926, the facility serves patients from southeastern Kentucky, including those from Clay, Laurel, Jackson, Whitley, Knox and Pulaski counties. The current $152 million regional hospital opened in 2010, and offers all private patient rooms, with most overlooking a small lake and garden on the 52-acre healing environment.