Virginia Garcia welcomes a variety of volunteers and visitors. From community members to medical professionals and even students who are satisfying educational requirements, if volunteering is your passion, we've got a place for you.
Please take a look at some of our current and upcoming roles and, if interested, email Volunteer@vgmhc.org.
Information about the program
The Beaverton Free Food Market
In partnership with Oregon Food Bank, provides fresh produce and dry goods to anyone who needs them in a drive-through setting.
The Beaverton Free Food Market occurs on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month, from 12:15pm-3:30pm at Cedar Hills Park.
Primary Duties:
Setup and takedown of outdoor tents and tables
Packing food bags and boxes
Delivering food to cars as people drive up
Eligibility & Commitment:
Ability to lift 35 pounds and be comfortable being on your feet for at least 3 hours
At least 16 years old
Able to commit to at least 3 shifts for a 6-month period
Newberg Free Food Market
Occurs weekly on Tuesdays from 10:00am - 2:00pm at our Newberg Clinic.
Primary Duties:
Packing food bags and boxes
Monitoring food box availability and restocking cart with pre-boxed food
Organizing the food shelf
Cleaning up and properly disposing of trash
Helping patients load food boxes into their car
Comfortable working alone after initial training
Eligibility & Commitment:
At least 16 years old
Able to commit to at least 3 shifts for a 6-month period
*Stay tuned for additional volunteer opportunities during the exciting Newberg Clinic expansion planned for this year.
Migrant Outreach Camp
Migrant Outreach Camp, also often referred to as simply “Summer Camp”, is at the heart of all we do here at Virginia Garcia. Each year, a robust outreach team (consisting of medical and dental providers, nurses, medical assistants, health educators, clinic staff, volunteers, and a wide array of social service agencies) visit various migrant camps and nurseries throughout Washington and Yamhill counties. This year’s Camp will take place every Tuesday and Thursday from June 13th – August 22nd
Primary Duties:
Fluent or somewhat fluent in Spanish (with the exception of the Children’s Activities role)
Able to commit to a minimum of 4 full shifts
Comfortable with some early shifts
Have transportation to either the camp or nursery site, or to our Cornelius clinic, where carpools leave at specified times
Multiple “Camp Helper” roles (assigned the day of, based on need):
Headcount Helpers: count the total number of both adults and children participating in health education sessions
Assistant Health Educator Helpers: help the Health Educators with interactive activities during education sessions
Distribution Helpers: supervise and distribute health, hygiene, clothing, and other miscellaneous items
General Assistance Helpers: available to outreach team and agencies for a variety of tasks
Children’s Activities Helpers: entertain children while their parents receive healthcare or attend educational sessions by reading books aloud, playing a soccer game, etc. *Spanish fluency not required for this role and also the only role with a minimum age of 16 (others are 18+)
Eligibility & Commitment:
At least 18 years old (with the exception of the Children’s Activities role, which is 16)
¡Prospera!
The annual fundraising event for Virginia Garcia and will take place this year on September 29th, 2023. ¡Prospera! means prosperous, successful, fortunate and fair. In a word, it encompasses all that Virginia Garcia stands for, and our hopes for our patients and community. At Virginia Garcia, we are working every day to provide high-quality health care for those who need in most and ensure they can live prosperous, successful, fair, and fortunate lives. Together with our staff, supporters, and partners, we can make this hope a reality for those we serve and who count on us as their medical home.
Volunteers help with both event preparations the day before, as well as a wide variety of day-of tasks.
Primary Duties:
Guest Registration
Ushering
Raffle Ticket Sales
Parking Support
Eligibility & Commitment:
At least 18 years old
Encore Fellowships™
Matches seasoned professionals with social impact organizations (like Viriginia Garcia) in order to boost nonprofit capacity, build strong, multigenerational teams, and give people seeking encore careers an introduction to the nonprofit sector
Observers/Shadows*
Opportunities to observe various medical professionals for a day in order to better understand possible future professional roles
Student Learners and Internships*
Paid and unpaid opportunities to gain educational and hands-on experience (and often educational credit)
Visiting Practitioners and other Medical Volunteers*
Licensed medical practitioners who volunteer their time and expertise at Virginia Garcia clinics and community events
*currently full/not accepting any applications
Adesina, Jayna, Alison, & Katie
To find out more please connect with our volunteer coordinator.
Volunteer@vgmhc.org
503-214-1671
This is the Volunteer Portal log-in site for current volunteers who have already completed the application process and have been approved. Please be sure to use the same email address that you used when you applied. If you logged on previously and can't remember your password, please use the "Password Reset" button to reset your password.
Adesina first heard about Virginia Garcia from a neighbor who is an employee. The more she learned about the organization, the more she felt that it aligned closely with her own values. As a mortgage broker, Adesina began donating a percentage of each loan that she closed to Virginia Garcia and other nonprofits and also taught several classes through Virginia Garcia’s Wellness Centers, such as Home Buyer 101. The Free Market is yet another way for her to “collaborate and serve with others.”
Jayna, Adesina’s business partner at Ventura Home Loans, decided to join in when she heard about the Free Market. Ventura’s tagline captures its mission of helping people gain equity in home ownership: “If you don’t come from a family of wealth, let’s make sure a family of wealth comes from you.” Jayna volunteers with several other organizations and especially enjoys working at the local level. “Helping people just feels good.”
Alison was at an OHSU lecture concerning Healthcare Models for the Underserved when a section about Virginia Garcia sparked her interest. She volunteered with some vaccine clinics during the pandemic, and then joined the Free Market when those slowed down. Alison appreciates the chance to be outside and do some physical work that doesn’t involve computer screens. She has extreme gratitude for the privileges (in every sense of the word) that she has and volunteering is a great way to “pay it forward.”
Katie has been passionate about giving back to her community since elementary school--volunteering at Blanchet House and other Portland organizations. Currently, substitute teaching, she plans to become a Primary Care Provider. Her previous work as a medical scribe, her varied volunteer experiences, and her Mom’s suggestion to volunteer at Virginia Garcia, all led Katie to the Free Food Market. “Just a few hours of your time can help someone else for so much longer.”