Volunteer Awards and IDC21

For Immediate Release:
September 20, 2021

NHPCO Presents Hospice Volunteer Awards at National Conference

Volunteers are the Foundation of Hospice Awards Celebrate Outstanding Volunteers

(Alexandria, Va) – This week the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) will present its annual Volunteers are the Foundation of Hospice Awards during the 2021 Interdisciplinary Conference, being held as a virtual event this year.

These awards, which are presented across the three days of the conference, recognize hospice volunteers who best reflect the universal concept of volunteerism in its truest sense—serving as an inspiration to others. The honorees have made significant contributions to hospice programs in the areas of care delivery, organizational support, and teamwork.

“We are in a time of great challenge as a country, which calls us to focus on our values and what truly matters. Hospice volunteers truly represent the best of what we can be. That’s why we celebrate the volunteers who demonstrate remarkable service, compassion, and commitment in service of hospices in their communities. Their gift of caring has a profound impact on patients, families, and the communities they serve, and we cannot thank them enough for the support they provide,” said NHPCO President and CEO Edo Banach.

The 2021 recipients of NHPCO’s Volunteers are the Foundation of Hospice Awards are:

Patient and Family Service Award:
Jane Brem
Providence Hospice of Seattle – Tukwila, Washington

Specialized Volunteer Service Award:
Sherry Frichtl
Brookdale Hospice – Indianapolis, Indiana

Organizational Support Award:
Juliann Goldman
Jewish Social Service Agency Hospice – Rockville, Maryland

Young Leader Award:
Thuong “Katie” Nguyen
TRU Community Care – Lafayette, Colorado

We Honor Veterans Volunteer Service Award:
James L. Blincoe
Suncoast Hospice, a member of Empath Health – Clearwater, Florida

Learn more about the accomplishments of these outstanding volunteers in the 2021 award presentation video.

“Hospice volunteers play an indispensable role in enabling hospice and palliative care organizations to offer the highest-quality care and support possible for the people they serve. By sharing their time, energy, and expertise, volunteers bring compassion and caring to the lives of those in need,” added Banach.

These volunteer awards were created and are administered by NHPCO’s MyNHPCO Professional Community, a section of the organization’s membership that promotes the contributions and skills of the different professional disciplines that make up the hospice interdisciplinary team, including volunteer management. The awards are presented as part of the Interdisciplinary Conference, the hospice community gathering dedicated to the interdisciplinary approach that is at the core of the hospice model of care.

Hospice Workforce Emergency Support Fund
As part of the conference activities, NHPCO’s affiliate organization the National Hospice Foundation will be raising support for the NHF Workforce Emergency Support Fund. This fund provides support for hospice and palliative care staff among the NHPCO membership who have experienced loss due to emergency events such as hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, or other emergency situations. Anyone can donate to support this fund, and NHPCO Members can find the application form to apply for support at nationalhospicefoundation.org.

-###-

Registration for the conference includes access to on-demand content that will be open through December 31, 2021. Visit www.nhpco.org/2021idc.

Learn more about hospice and palliative care at NHPCO’s CaringInfo.org website.

Contact:
Jon Radulovic
Communications
Ph: 571-412-3973