Data sources

Where listings come from

Entries in this directory come from a mix of sources, and they are not all equally fresh:

• Historical datasets. A large share of the directory was built from earlier compilations of US hospitals and healthcare facilities. Many of those records have not been individually revisited since they were first added.
• Submissions. Hospitals, volunteer coordinators and members of the public can add or update a listing through this site.
• Publicly available information. Some records include details drawn from public sources, such as a facility's own website.
• Our own corrections. We fix errors we find or that are reported to us.

Some records include a CMS certification number, which indicates the record originated from a federal provider dataset. That is a statement about where the record came from, not an endorsement, and not a guarantee that the details are current. This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated on behalf of any government agency.

What we check automatically

We run an automated check against the volunteer web address stored on each listing. It records whether that address still responds, whether it redirects somewhere else, whether it now leads only to a hospital's general homepage, or whether it is unreachable.

That check is about a web address. It is not a conversation with the hospital.

What that check does not tell you

A working link does not establish that:

• the hospital currently accepts volunteers;
• the programme described is still running;
• applications are open, or that there is capacity;
• the contact details, phone number or eligibility rules on the listing are current.

We are deliberate about this because it would be easy, and wrong, to present a successful web request as if it were confirmation from the hospital.

Organisation verification

We do not currently operate an organisation verification programme, and no listing on this site is marked as verified by the hospital it describes. If we introduce one, it will be described here and it will mean that a person at the organisation confirmed the details — not that a link responded.

Why some listings say information needs updating

Where our check found that a volunteer link no longer works, we do not show it as a way to volunteer. The listing says the volunteer information needs updating and offers a way to tell us. Where a stored address leads only to a hospital's general website, we present it as the organisation's website rather than as a volunteer programme page, because those are not the same thing.

Where a check could not reach a conclusion — for example because a site blocked our request — we leave the link in place and make no claim about it.

Freshness

Directory information goes out of date. Programmes pause, coordinators change, hospitals merge or close, and web addresses move without anyone telling a directory. Always confirm current details with the organisation directly before relying on them.

Telling us about a problem

If something here is wrong, we would rather know. See Corrections for what to report and how.

Related: Editorial Policy · Corrections · Advertising Disclosure · Terms & Disclaimer