ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Mission Health is celebrating National Volunteer Month this April by recognizing the service and dedication of its team members across Western North Carolina.
In line with HCA Healthcare’s broader commitment to community service, Mission Health employees are participating in at least 16 volunteer events throughout the month, contributing an estimated 162 hours of service.
From hospital campuses to food banks and neighborhood cleanups, staff members are making an impact. Volunteer activities include wrapping more than 7,300 diapers for Babies Need Bottoms, distributing meals with MANNA FoodBank and Food Connection, and organizing litter pickups in partnership with Asheville GreenWorks.
To increase accessibility, several volunteer opportunities were brought directly to hospital campuses, allowing more staff to participate during their shifts.
“I was so excited to participate in this particular experience, because the diapers we were wrapping were size 2T-3T, and I personally have a baby who wears this size, and so I know just how expensive diapers are, and how challenging it must be for parents who are financially struggling to be able to afford diapers,” Caitlyn Merrill Logan, a clinical nurse coordinator at Mission Hospital, said in a news release.
“It made me tear up to see how many boxes of diapers there were and how this show of kindness through donations from the community and from our own staff were going to impact so many families.”
Volunteer efforts spanned Mission Health’s regional hospitals with CarePartners packing food at Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry’s warehouse; Angel Medical Center participating in an Adopt-A-Street cleanup in Franklin; Transylvania Regional Hospital colleagues supported both Almost Home Dog Rescue and Free Rein Equestrian Center; Mission Hospital McDowell gave back at the Foothills Food Hub; Highlands-Cashiers Hospital joined a Plateau roadside cleanup; Blue Ridge Regional Hospital organized and hosted the Burnsville Fit Family 5K event. These are just some examples of the Mission Health team’s volunteerism across our region.
Through HCA Healthcare, employees can earn $200 for a nonprofit of their choice for every 10 hours of volunteer service, transforming time donated into financial support. Additionally, the HCA Healthcare Giving Match program doubled individual contributions between $25 and $500.
In 2024, Mission Health employees collectively contributed 10,000 volunteer hours and raised more than $460,000 for charitable causes.
“A culture of service and generosity has always been important at Mission Health,” Annie Carpenter, associate vice president of community engagement, said in the release. “We are so proud that, as part of HCA Healthcare, we are able to support our teams to show up where they can help, and witness their joy in having such an impact.”