All of our homemade baby blankets, baby caps, prayer shawls, stuffed animals, etc. are cleaned by using 160 degree heat before being distributed to our patients.  

We do still give gifts to our volunteers and they seem very appreciative.  The gift is typically the same as what we gave employees - usually during hospital week and Christmas.

The volunteers receive a meal ticket valued at $5 in their birthday card, are provided a meal and entertainment during NVW, provided breakfast at our September brunch and installation of officers, receive whatever the staff receive as a Holiday gift, receive a free membership to our wellness/fitness center if they work 40 hours a quarter , and a meal ticket if they work 8 hour shift ( a double).  I do give our Volunteer Leadership Team members a personalized note and gift card valued at $10 to Bo Jangles at the end of each program year.

Volunteers are given a small token of appreciation, i.e. a personalized writing pen or notepad, along with a volunteer appreciation luncheon during National Volunteer Appreciation Week.  The cost is minimal.

We have always given a gift in the past that goes along with our theme. Not more than $5. We are finding that our volunteer populations doesn't need more "stuff" as many are downsizing so we will re-visit the gifting for 2019. Our hospital is struggling financially which would be the perfect time to stop gifting. Gift example for 2018: The theme was Volunteers with Randolph Health, "Better Together". A jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly was nicely bagged and given as the gift. They liked it!