Winter 2026 Newsletter
Welcome to 2026!
A new year invites both reflection and hope. As we welcome 2026, we celebrate the many successes, milestones, and heartfelt moments that defined the year behind us. Together, we showed up with kindness, resilience, and grace—supporting patients, families, and one another in powerful ways. With the changing of the year comes renewed energy, new opportunities to serve, and countless blessings to be part of something so meaningful. We are honored to continue this journey with each of you.
Introducing the New Director of Volunteer Services
Kate Ray brings more than 40 years of experience across higher education, healthcare, and nonprofit leadership. She was recently hired as the Director of Volunteer Services at Community Hospice & Palliative Care.
Previously, Kate served as Clinical Operations Coordinator at Community Hospice & Palliative Care, providing executive-level support to the Senior Vice President of Hospice Services and contributing to clinical and organizational initiatives. In addition, she held roles coordinating clinical policies and assisting with Medical Services activities.
Kate also spent over 15 years at the Mayo Clinic, holding leadership roles including Operations Manager and Education Administrator for the Mayo School of Continuous Professional Development and the Mayo School of Health Sciences. There, she led accreditation efforts, managed multi-campus education programs, and supported innovation through quality improvement and leadership committees.
Her career began in higher education at the University of North Florida, where she served as Director of the Career Development Center and as an adjunct professor, advancing student career development and statewide workforce initiatives.
Kate holds a Master of Science in Counseling and Human Systems from Florida State University. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and dedication to service. She is deeply committed to fostering professional growth, compassionate care, and organizational excellence.
Update: The Dorion Family Pediatric Center
Construction of the Dorion Family Pediatric Center is well underway, with cement walls rising and the courtyard taking shape to reflect the center’s various therapeutic spaces. Designed as a welcoming and inclusive environment, the center will offer pediatric patients and their family’s comfort, connection and community while helping reduce isolation through shared experiences.
Named in honor of the Dorion family, longstanding advocates for compassionate care, the center will provide therapeutic recreation, caregiver support, psychosocial and spiritual care, educational opportunities and community-building events that offer respite and hope for the whole family. Volunteers are encouraged to stay tuned as opportunities and training become available
The Dorion Family Pediatric Center – Community Hospice Foundation
Volunteer Stats
Oct-May 2024 FY Stats
Filling over 90% of patient volunteer requests, filling an average of 120 requests monthly.
(a savings of over $369,422.15)
Community Hospice Volunteer News
Pet Peace of Mind Corner
Do you love animals and want to make a difference in someone’s life? Our Pet Peace of Mind program supports patients and their beloved pets, helping ensure both are happy, healthy, and cared for.
Volunteers can help by:
- Fostering pets temporarily
- Assisting with dog walking
- Cleaning litter boxes
- Providing general support to patients with their pets
Your time and compassion can bring comfort to both our patients and their furry friends. Join us in making a meaningful impact!
Annual Thanksgiving Boxes of Blessings Recap
Each Thanksgiving, Volunteer Services proudly partners with our Hospice Home Teams to provide holiday food boxes to patients and their loved ones. What begins as a simple act of giving becomes a powerful expression of care, comfort and community.
This year, our incredible volunteer and community partnerships transformed our Thanksgiving Boxes of Blessings into something truly life-changing. Through the generosity of Community Hospice volunteers, BOA/Merrill Lynch, ALIVE @ New Life Church and Feeding Northeast Florida, we served more than 145 families across 16 counties, reaching more than 500 community members.
Among those impacted were 53 pediatric families who, thanks to your thoughtful donations and gift cards, not only enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal but also received gifts, games and moments of joy that meant more than words can express.
The selfless kindness of our volunteers, opening their hearts and giving so generously, made this holiday truly unforgettable. For some of our patients, this may have been one of their last Thanksgiving meals with loved ones. Because of the beautiful community support behind this project, those moments were filled with comfort, connection and love, creating memories that will be cherished long after the holiday has passed.
Stocking Stuffer Drive for LTC patients
Laughter, conversation and the quiet joy of giving filled the room as our hospice volunteers gathered to stuff holiday stockings for patients in long-term care and assisted living communities. Each stocking, lovingly handmade by volunteers, was filled with thoughtful items chosen to bring comfort, cheer and a sense of being remembered during the holiday season.
This cherished tradition offers a meaningful opportunity for volunteers to come together in fellowship, sharing time and purpose while creating something special for those in our care. Every stocking represents more than a gift. It carries kindness, compassion and the reminder that our patients are not alone during the holidays.
Once complete, the stuffed stockings are delivered to patients by our volunteers and clinical teams, ensuring each gift reaches its destination with a personal touch. These small moments of generosity create lasting smiles and warm hearts, making the season brighter for both those who give and those who receive.
Penney Farms Volunteer Christmas Party
Twinkling lights, shared laughter and the warmth of the season filled the air as Community Hospice & Palliative Care joined our friends at Penney Farms to celebrate Christmas and another wonderful year together. Penney Farms, an all-inclusive retirement community, is home to Community Hospice patients we are honored to serve and a place where dedicated volunteers step forward to support the hospice residence on campus.
This long-standing partnership is one we treasure deeply. Each year, our Community Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, Victoria Foster, and the Penney Farms volunteer community come together to celebrate not only the holidays but also a year of meaningful companionship, shared service and heartfelt connections. The bonds formed between volunteers and residents are a beautiful reminder of how powerful presence and kindness can be.
This cherished tradition reflects everything the season stands for: community, gratitude and togetherness. As we celebrate another year of success, we are thankful for the continued collaboration that brings comfort, joy and companionship to our patients across the Penney Farms campus. Here’s to many more seasons of partnership, friendship and holiday cheer.
Administrative Notes
Recruiting New Volunteers
Upcoming Events
Save the Date! Our annual volunteer appreciation at UNF will be held on April 1, so please mark your calendars. You will also receive the official Save the Date and Invite via mail and email. (If you’ve made any changes to your email address or mailing address and haven’t let your volunteer coordinator know, please do so as soon as possible.)
Be on the lookout for St. Johns and Northcentral Volunteer appreciation information coming soon.
Annual Francess Pruitt Easter Egg Hunt- More information to come as Hadlow construction makes way.
Good Friday, April 3, 2026.
New Volunteers and Their Contributions
| October 2025 | November 2025 | December 2025 |
|---|---|---|
|
Aadarsh Arul: 8.00 |
Kyla Cartwright: 9.45 |
Melin Alex: 8.15 |
|
Justin Bogle 38.15 |
Liam Cervantes: 8.15 |
Katelyn Black: 12.25 |
|
Trissi Duncan: 22.42 |
Carla Cuevas: 10.38 |
Marium Chowdhury: 17.01 |
|
James Hayes: 88.27 |
Eva Edmondson: 11.15 |
Ami Jo Connelly: 8.15 |
|
Caroline Hickey: 23.50 |
Ryan Haimo: 12.45 |
Randy Crete: 11.30 |
|
Lucas Leonardo: 8.15 |
Cathy Herbst: 47.53 |
Connie Edelen: 10.19 |
|
Nadia Ortiz: 8.30 |
Jaydon Jones: 8.15 |
Aidan Flores: 11.00 |
|
Gabriela Rivera-Nieves: 30.19 |
Celeste Kuo: 8.15 |
Anna Haile: 9.00 |
|
Fiona Rooney: 12.30 |
Evan Lozada: 9.15 |
Kate Head: 8.15 |
|
Myra Sloan: 10.08 |
Dava O’Connor: 20.30 |
Sophia Lamping: 8.15 |
|
Nina Zhang: 4.24 |
Shrina Patel: 8.00 |
Ebonie Melbourne: 15.53 |
|
|
Martha Preteit: 17.00 |
Kimberly McHugh: 14.30 |
|
|
Lizzy Riley: 12.30 |
Gregory Newman: 10.45 |
|
|
Marley Schickel: 22.56 |
Ronald Oberg: 16.45 |
|
|
Rabeea Shams: 16.00 |
Beely Gaetan Oscar: 11.15 |
|
|
Brad Studstill: 86.30 |
Gennion Owens: 14.20 |
|
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Kathie Wheeler: 14.51 |
Rohan Patel: 8.00 |
|
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Brittney White: 14.24 |
Diana Rijo: 8.15 |
|
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Melitta Williams: 22.42 |
Lily Ritvixay: 9.16 |
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Vishwaa Shah: 10.45 |
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Tejasri Tummala: 8.00 |
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Patricia Vickery: 15.00 |
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Amy Xie: .15 |
