Please note that we are unable to schedule group events between Thanksgiving and the first week in January. During flu season, we might also have restrictions on our abilit y to schedule events. If you are interested in volunteering to assist with receiving toy donations during our busy holiday season, please email us.
Volunteer Requirements
Volunteers must be ages 18 and older.
Companies with More than 100 Employees
Please contact Laura Langstaff.
University Groups
Please contact Hank Rich.
Non-Profits, Community Groups and Companies with Fewer than 100 People
Volunteer Services works with smaller community partners to provide opportunities for groups to host a patient play date, sponsor a dinner for families in the hospital, and visit our inpatient units with toys and goodies! We work with a wide range of groups to host these events, including local businesses, religious groups, non-profits and other organizations.
Note: We do not schedule group events between Thanksgiving and the first week in January. During flu season, we might also have restrictions on our ability to schedule events. For all events, we recommend scheduling at least a month in advance, and groups can visit no more than two times per year.
In order to qualify for these events, all donations must be made to Dr. Bear’s Toy Closet, and we must receive donations two weeks prior to the event. Donations can be dropped off in the Volunteer Services office, or mailed to Children’s National, Attn: Volunteer Services Group Event (Suite 1180), 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20010. Please see the guidelines below for more information and review our donation guidelines for details about in-kind donation requirements and dropping off donations.
Host a Patient Play Date
Details
Patient Play Dates involve arts and crafts activities, karaoke, game days, carnivals or movie showings for patients from our outpatient clinics, inpatient units and their siblings. Community partners are responsible for providing the materials for these events, and we encourage groups to find materials and activities that are engaging, different and unique from what the patients might be able to do at home or when in their hospital rooms. We typically expect between 30 and 50 children for daytime events and 5-20 children for evening and weekend events. We ask that you prepare materials for 40-50 children for all events, and any additional materials will be donated to Dr. Bear’s Closet. Please include activities for kids of all ages (toddlers to adolescents).
Monetary or in-kind donation requirement
$2,500 total (at least $500 in monetary donations or gift cards and $2,000 in in-kind donations, including all of the art supplies for the event). In-kind and monetary donations must be delivered to the hospital two weeks prior to the event; however, art supplies for an event should be listed in detail on this form and brought in on the day of the event.
Required number of participants
A minimum of eight individuals and maximum of 15 individuals from your group
Length of event
Two-hour events can be scheduled Tuesdays or Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-noon or 5:30-7:30 p.m., and on weekends between 1-3 p.m.
Scheduling an event
If you’d like to schedule an event, please complete the Patient Play Date request form and return to Volunteer Services. Please type “Patient Play Date” in the email subject line.
Current Play Date Request Form is available for download.
Sponsor a Meal
Details
Sponsoring a meal allows groups or organizations to serve a meal to families from on an inpatient unit selected by the Volunteer Services team. The group must provide a meal and drinks for 50 people, plates, utensils and gloves. Food must come from a commercial kitchen (receipt required) – we cannot accept any homemade food. Please consider providing healthy options, including some vegan/vegetarian dishes and gluten-free options. Food must be nut-free.
Monetary or in-kind donation requirement
$2,500 total (at least $500 in monetary donations or gift cards and $2,000 in in-kind donations, including the meal for up to 50 individuals)
In-kind and monetary donations should be delivered to the hospital two weeks prior to the event; however, food for the event should be listed in detail on the request form and brought in on the day of the event.
Required number of participants
A minimum of six individuals and maximum of eight individuals from your group
Length of event
Two-hour events can be scheduled on Thursdays during lunch or dinner hours.
Scheduling an event
If you’d like to schedule an event, please complete the Sponsor a Meal request form and return to Volunteer Services. Please type “Sponsor a Meal” in the subject line.
Round on Inpatient Units
Details
Rounding on inpatient units is a unique opportunity for groups to engage with patients at the bedside. Our Volunteer Services team would work with the group to stock the toy cart and visit the inpatient units to give toys to patients and their siblings. The unit(s) will be selected by the Volunteer Services team.
Monetary or in-kind donation requirement
$7,000 total (at least $2,000 in monetary donations or gift cards and $5,000 in in-kind donations, including at least 200 toys for different ages and genders, to ensure that we’ll have a variety of options for all patients during the event)
Required number of participants
A minimum of three and maximum of 10 individuals from your group
Length of event
Two-hour events can be scheduled Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. or 5:30-7:30 p.m., and on weekends between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Scheduling an event
If you’d like to schedule an event, please complete the Round on Inpatient Units request form and return to Volunteer Services. Please type “Round on Inpatient Units” in the email subject line.