Volunteer
“A simple act of kindness
can make a tremendous impact
on a person’s life.””
Compassionate Care... Freely Given
Our volunteers reflect the richness and diversity of our community—people of all backgrounds, experiences, and walks of life. Some are called to serve through a deep desire to give back, while others join us after personally experiencing the care of Hospice of Santa Barbara. All are united by a shared commitment to compassion. Everyone is welcome here.
Our dynamic volunteer program supports individuals and families through some of life’s most tender and challenging moments. Opportunities include offering comfort and presence during the final 48–72 hours of life, providing a listening ear to those who are grieving, guiding individuals in planning their end-of-life wishes, and contributing specialized skills such as sewing, group facilitation, and administrative support. Volunteers also play a vital role in community outreach and events, helping extend care beyond the bedside.
At every level of involvement, our volunteers embody compassionate care—freely given, deeply felt, and open to all.
To learn more about current volunteer opportunities or if you have specific questions, please call 805-563-8820 or email our Volunteer Services Department.
Become a Hospice Volunteer, Make a Difference When It Matters Most
We welcome individuals from all backgrounds who feel called to offer presence, compassion, and care. Our volunteers are:
· Compassionate, dependable, and open-hearted
· Comfortable being present with serious illness, uncertainty, and life’s tender moments
· Motivated to serve their community in a meaningful and supportive way
No prior experience is needed, just a willingness to show up with kindness and reliability. We provide comprehensive training and ongoing support, so you’ll feel prepared and supported every step of the way.
Current Opportunities
Advance Care Planning Volunteer Training on August 6th, 13th, & 20th from 9 AM-1 PM. Let us know you are interested by emailing CommunityACP@hospiceofsb.org or calling (805)-456-4665.
For many people, talking about death and dying is unfamiliar, uncomfortable, and even frightening. That’s why our Advanced Care Planning volunteers are so essential: they represent the community we serve, and they help turn fear into understanding. Our volunteers are parents, adult children, professionals, caregivers, retirees, they bring their own lived experiences, families, and stories to the table. They meet people where they are, as peers—not experts, which makes the process feel safe, personal, and deeply human.
Advance Care Planning involves reflecting on and discussing your wishes for future medical care in case you are ever unable to speak for yourself. Our ACP programs are offered in both English and Spanish, and we warmly welcome bilingual and monolingual volunteers alike. To learn more about our ACP program click here (https://www.getitdonesb.org/become-a-volunteer) or visit www.getitdonesb.org
Patient Care Volunteers
As part of the Patient Care Services team, Patient Care Volunteers enhance the quality of life of those impacted by a serious illness and their families. Through compassionate presence, they offer social, emotional, and practical support during deeply meaningful moments.
At this time, we are not actively recruiting for Patient Care Volunteers. We warmly welcome your interest and are happy to share information about other ways to get involved.
To learn more about current volunteer opportunities, please call 805-563-8820 or email our Volunteer Services Department.
Volunteer Spotlight
Kay Stern
Kay’s interest in caring for people with medical issues began in her childhood with her pharmacist father who was consulted by doctors on what drugs would best treat the doctor’s patient’s diagnosis. That was the standard dinner table conversation at home. In her teens, she studied comparative religions and from that dive into culture, life, and death, she developed a wide set of eclectic spiritual beliefs. This informs her work with HSB clients, meeting them where they are. And her meditation practice grew out of that time.
UCLA was where she earned her BS. Her MBA was achieved at Pepperdine University. Her Masters’ thesis studied strengths and weaknesses of female executives. Her working career spanned regional, national, and finally international management responsibilities fulfilling her dream to live and work abroad.
Reading Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, led to her next dream, to work with people experiencing and planning end of life care, so when she and husband returned to the US, her dream was to train for Hospice work, and to raise service dog puppies to help people with disabilities. In Santa Barbara Kay trained for patient care work with VNA, then Alliance for Living and Dying Well, and then Hospice of Santa Barbara. She trained to help people complete Advance Care Plans and My Care. During that time, the couple raised 5 service dog puppies, including “Roselle” for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Kay credits Santa Barbara for helping socialize puppy Roselle who was trained and when the time came, was able to calmly lead her blind partner and others down 78 floors to exit the burning World Trade Tower in NY.
For many years, Kay has worked for Hospice of Santa Barbara, doing patient care work and advance care planning counseling. She loves how patient care work and advance care planning inform the work of each.
Today Kay and husband have 2 rescue dogs. When Kay is dying, her dream is to be in bed with her dogs on each side of her as she passes.
Past Volunteer Spotlight
Marybeth Carty
We believe there is no one who has done more with respect to community service for the greater SB community than Marybeth Carty. She exemplifies "compassionate and committed service" at its finest, not just at HSB but for many other organizations as well. Marybeth is the Executive Director of the Natalie Orfalea Foundation and has spent the prior 15 years in corporate philanthropy, interfacing with hundreds of different nonprofit organizations per year. She previously served as Director of grant funded education programs for the Carpinteria Unified School District for 10 years.
Marybeth's community impact goes way beyond her professional career--Her experience in the nonprofit sector spans over 35 years, serving and leading on a number of boards that address community strengthening, education and social justice in the Santa Barbara area.
Her service includes: *Board member and past President of Partners in Education. *Exec committee Foundation Roundtable. *CADA’s Fighting Back Mentor Program Task Force. *Founder Carpinteria Women’s Fund group, known as “Hearts of Carp,” and is heavily involved in the Carpinteria community. *She serves on the Board of the Carpinteria Children’s Project. *Chair of the Carpinteria Woman’s Club. *Chair of the steering committee for Hospice of Santa Barbara’s Compassionate Care of Carpinteria Initiative. *Advisory Board for the Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center and the 93013 Fund *Trustee SB County Board of Ed Her accolades include Hospice of Santa Barbara Ambassador Hero Award, Pacific Coast Business Times’s Top 50 Women in Business, Fighting Back Mentor of the Year, Community Hero Recognition from former County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone, and Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s Woman of Inspiration.