Michigan Hospice Seeks Volunteers to Comfort Families

Centrica Care Navigators is searching for people willing to share their time with hospice patients across nine Michigan communities, offering something simple yet powerful: human connection during life's most vulnerable moments.

The nonprofit hospice organization needs volunteers in Allegan, Delton, Plainwell, Otsego, Cassopolis, Niles, Three Rivers, Parchment, and Richland. These volunteers will provide companionship to patients and relief to exhausted family caregivers who often go months without a break.

The work itself is beautifully uncomplicated. Volunteers might read aloud, listen to music, watch favorite TV shows, play cards, or simply sit quietly with someone who needs company. When volunteers stay with patients, family members can finally run errands, attend appointments, or just take a walk to clear their minds.

"Volunteers bring compassion and connection to community members who are experiencing a very vulnerable time," said Jodi Vanlerberghe, volunteer program manager at Centrica Care Navigators. "Their dedication has a lasting impact on the lives of the patients and families we serve each day."

The organization welcomes people from all backgrounds, with or without caregiving experience. The only real requirement is a caring heart and willingness to show up. Training is provided for all volunteers.

Sunny's Take

There's something quietly heroic about sitting with someone during their final chapter, offering presence when words run out. These volunteers won't make headlines, but they'll make someone's last days gentler, warmer, and less lonely.

For families watching a loved one decline, even two hours of respite can feel like a lifeline. A chance to shower without rushing, to cry in the car alone, or to remember what normal felt like.

The organization does ask one thing: people who have recently lost a loved one should wait one year before volunteering, allowing time to process their own grief first. This thoughtful boundary protects both volunteers and the families they'll serve.

Anyone interested can contact Vanlerberghe at 269-488-0783 or jvanlerberghe@centricacare.org. Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness leave the biggest marks.