Volunteer with Us
The Rhode Island Blood Center welcomes volunteers from all walks of life, and no experience is necessary.
The Rhode Island Blood Center is a wonderful place to volunteer because we provide a flexible way for you to learn new skills, meet new people and support your community. You also become part of our mission to help save lives in Rhode Island and beyond.
For all positions, a short but thorough application and training process gets you started. With a wide variety of locations and duties, we can match your skills and geographic requirements with an opportunity that meets your needs. Blood Center volunteers also set their own schedule by selecting duties and times that are convenient for them each month.
Please note company policy does not allow for court mandated community service volunteers.
Questions? Call our Volunteer Coordinator, Jennifer St. Peter, today at (401) 248-5773 or via email at jennifer.stpeter2@ribc.org.
Some of the volunteer positions available:
Administrative Services
The Blood Center develops and produces all of its own publicity materials and signage. We also process most of the mailings that donors receive. Administrative volunteers work on weekdays at the Providence Donor Center to prepare these materials and sometimes assist with other general office duties.
Refreshments at Donor Centers
The Rhode Island Blood Center has six donor centers conveniently located throughout the state. Volunteers at the centers serve refreshments to donors after they have complete their donation. Volunteers also watch for possible reactions post-donation. If there is a reaction, the volunteer alerts the supervisor on duty. Various times are available and a volunteer may sign up for a single shift a month or come in several times a week.
Greeting and Refreshments at Mobile Drives
Volunteers at mobile drives can choose from two vital roles: Offering refreshments or performing the important task of welcoming and directing donors through the giving process. Both allow you to meet a variety of people that want to support the community by donating blood.
Drivers
The Rhode Island Blood Center holds mobile blood drives on our donor coaches every day throughout the state. We also have six donor centers, which need regular blood donation pick-ups and delivery. Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles to transport boxed blood products from these locations to the Providence headquarters for processing and testing. Drivers are compensated for their mileage based on IRS standards. Because blood products will spoil if not processed quickly, volunteer drivers play a very important role in ensuring their safe delivery to the lab.
Volunteer Requirements
Interested in becoming a volunteer with Rhode Island Blood Center? Then you have come to the right place! We have diverse volunteer opportunities that fit any schedule. Check out the requirements below:
- Volunteer candidates must be at least 16 years old.
- Company policy does not allow for court mandated community service volunteers.
- Volunteers cannot perform technical or clinical duties such as drawing, testing, or processing blood.
- All volunteer candidates must attend a volunteer orientation/training class.
- All volunteer candidates must successfully pass a pre-paid background screening.
- All volunteer candidates must provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19.
- All volunteer candidates must be able to complete the tasks outlined in their volunteer assignments.
- Volunteers must be able to provide their own transportation to and from their assignments.
Volunteers must have a positive attitude, be reliable, and have a desire to provide excellent customer service to donors, staff, and fellow volunteers.