• Provide snacks and supplies for one of our Family Houses for a designated month. Supplies would include paper products (plates, napkins, plastic silverware packets), laundry detergent, etc.
• Host a meal or break at least once during the month. Food must come from a caterer/commercial kitchen and some dietary restrictions may apply. (Number of people varies by Family House.)

• Much like our patients and families feels the emotions and anxieties of the healthcare situations that they are facing, our team not only provides care, but sometimes a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold.
• Providing a snack/meal to a team within the hospital is a great way to give back to the teams that give of themselves for our patients and families
• Any snacks must be pre-packaged or come from a caterer/commercial kitchen and will be placed in the staff break room
• Please plan to host approx. 20-40 people depending on unit
• 2-4 volunteers can come help set up the snack/meal and invite the team to join at their leisure

Therapeutic Animal Interventions Lift Spirits (TAILS) volunteers are certified therapy dogs and their owners who visit hospitalized patients. In addition to owners meeting standard volunteer requirements, all TAILS volunteers must adhere to the following:

• Dogs must be older than one year and housebroken.
• Dogs must be certified by Pet Partners, and certifications updated on a regular basis.
• An annual medical screening, dog history, and behavior screening form must be completed by the owner and veterinarian. Download the TAILS Behavioral Screening Form.
• Dogs must receive routine flea/tick and heartworm prevention treatments.
• Dogs must be bathed 48 hours prior to a visit and groomed/brushed on the day of the visit.

When visiting the hospital the dog and handler will be met at the front entrance of the hospital. The dog will be crated to go into the hospital and taken out of the crate upon arrival at their destination. Scheduling and placing of TAILS volunteers are completed after the fulfillment of requirements. For questions regarding the Animal Assisted Interventions Program contact the Child Life and Education Department at 501-364-1412.

• Help keep the beautiful grounds of ACH neat and refreshed. Equipment such as rakes, shovels, etc. will be provided by the grounds department. Arkansas Children's requests that volunteers provide their own gloves. All other materials needed for the workday will be provided by the hospital.
• 10-15 volunteers

• Distribute donated handmade hats to patients and families as they make their way to and from their destination within the hospital.
• Hats are practical gifts, but also serve as a comfort item for babies and children who are in the hospital
• This opportunity will lend itself to many conversations with patients and families
• The majority of this role is standing

• Host a meal for parents and caregivers.
• Food must come from a caterer/commercial kitchen and some dietary restrictions may apply.
• 10-12 volunteers are needed to serve approx. 60-90 people per meal

Host a party for your organization or group, request that your guests bring gifts suitable for children, and then donate gifts to Arkansas Children's. You might even ask friends or family members to bring items for the hospital instead of gifts for you!

View our wish lists to see a list of items we need for our patients & families.

Click here to see the patterns and read more information about our needlework needs. Please email volunteer@archildrens.org or call 501-364-1825 with any questions.

• Host special arts and crafts activities, game day, etc. for our outpatient clinics. Community partners are responsible for providing the materials for these events, and we encourage groups to find materials and activities that are engaging and unique.
• 5-10 volunteers depending on time of day (mornings are busier)
• We could do this on a regularly scheduled basis and the participants can rotate based on schedules

Project SEARCH® Arkansas: ACCESS® Initiative in partnership with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services and Arkansas Children’s Hospital welcomed its inaugural class in August of 2015. The program is for young adults, ages 18-35, with developmental disabilities. Candidates for the program must have graduated high school, received a GED or certificate of completion. Each year, 13 interns are accepted into the program and take part in 3 internship rotations on the Arkansas Children's Hospital Campus, in Little Rock, each lasting 10 weeks. The goal of the program is to help these individuals develop employment readiness skills, social skills, and soft skills to prepare them for meaningful, competitive employment within the surrounding community.

While interning at Arkansas Children's Hospital, interns have the opportunity to work with more than 25 different departments that are signed on to serve as an internship site. Upon completion of the nine-month program, Arkansas Children's Hospital Project SEARCH graduates receive follow-along services to help with the transition as they move to employment.

To learn more about the program or the application process please visit Project SEARCH Arkansas or contact our Arkansas Children's Hospital Project Coordinator, Dee Vittitow.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Helps Young Adults Find Purpose with Project SEARCH® Career Training

Each year, a class of young adults with developmental disabilities learns how to achieve career success in the professional environment at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Through Project SEARCH Arkansas: ACCESS Initiative in partnership with Arkansas Rehabilitation services, young adults prepare for the workforce. Many of them are past patients and find purpose and fulfillment through the nine-month intern program. Check out this video for more information!

 

Some of Arkansas Children's projects are short-term or seasonal and may be outdoors such as landscaping, clean-up or painting. They may also be inside projects such as cleaning playrooms, toys or assisting with holiday decorations. These projects are very important to Arkansas Children's and help us complete larger tasks in a timely manner. These tasks contribute to an improved overall appearance of the hospital, which creates a very pleasant environment for our patients and their families.

• A gift of toys, games or activity supplies makes a difference for the children and families who will call Arkansas Children’s “home” throughout the year.
• Access Arkansas Children’s “wish list” of our most needed or requested items and schedule a time to deliver. Review the rules and guidelines for donated items.