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Syracuse

VAVS Narrative Report

**For Fiscal Year 2008**

**Oct 1 2007 thru Sept 30 2008**

**A. Program Workload, Developments, and Trends:**

1.  **[Donations and Gifts]{.underline}**:

  --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------
  **Fiscal year:**      **[2005]{.underline}**   **[2006]{.underline}**   **[2007]{.underline}**   **[2008]{.underline}**

  Monetary              \$48,650.60              \$36,048.56              \$603,544.67             \$41,147.96

  Non-monetary          \$234,613.33             \$232,360.34             \$341,382.10             \$378,320.52

  **Grand Total:**      **\$283,263.93**         **\$268,408.90**         **\$944,926.77\***       **\$419,468.48**
  --------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------

\*Reflects a bequeathed donation of \$500,000.

**[Total RS Volunteers, RS Volunteers hours, All volunteer
hours:]{.underline}**

+------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
| **Fiscal year:**       | **[2      | **[200   | **[200   | **[200   |
|                        | 005]{.und | 6]{.unde | 7]{.unde | 8]{.unde |
|                        | erline}** | rline}** | rline}** | rline}** |
+------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
| #### N                 | 890       | 1,147    | 1,440    | 1,518    |
| umber of RS Volunteers |           |          |          |          |
+------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
| #                      | 97        | 167      | 253      | 243      |
| ### Student Volunteers |           |          |          |          |
+------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
| #### R                 | 70%/30%   | 70%/30%  | 74%/26%  | 76%/24%  |
| etention Rate/Turnover |           |          |          |          |
+------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ####                   |           |          |          |          |
+------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
| #### Occas             | 6,639     | 5,171    | 1,463    | 2,247    |
| ional Volunteers hours |           |          |          |          |
+------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ## RS Volunteers hours | 79,771    | 89,147   | 94,554   | 77,279   |
+------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Adjusted hours         |           |          | 1,256    | 764      |
+------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Total Volunteer hours  | *         | **       | **       | **       |
|                        | *88,757** | 94,318** | 97,273** | 80,290** |
+------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+

# Please see graphs on pages 6 through 10 

> 2\. **[Assessment of VAVS Program]{.underline}**:

a)  **Manpower, Donated Goods and Services, and Donated Funds**

-   The Syracuse VAMC VAVS program continues to move forward in
    volunteer recruitment. Although the RS volunteer numbers only show a
    slight increase (4%), we have changed the focus of where and how we
    recruit volunteers. We believe this will show an increase in the
    longevity of volunteers participating with our program over the next
    few years.

-   Student and Student groups that participate at the Syracuse VA and
    events that are scheduled for and by students have continued to
    increased.

> Donations have continued to do well, with cash and items donated
> valued at over \$400 thousand. This is a significant increase in
> previous years (factoring out our large bequeath of last year).
>
> Volunteer hours have started to fall. We believe this is related to
> the economic times, gas prices, and demographic changes (death and
> illness of our "greatest generation" volunteers). This is significant
> in light of our increase in the number of volunteers. This indicates
> that our snap shot typical volunteer has shifted to a shorter time
> commitment. This changes the dynamic of how and when volunteers are
> utilized by our facility.
>
> **Significant examples of volunteer impact include:**
>
> **Manpower -** We are working closely with Syracuse University, our
> service organizations and local businesses to bring in student and
> non-student volunteers. We continue to look forward to our
> associations Jobs Plus! and Syracuse Brick House to provide skills
> placement positions to job seekers in their programs. Our numbers have
> declined in participation with these organizations due to the finger
> printing and adjudication process. However, both organizations
> continue to contact us for placement of individuals in their programs.
> We continue to place these individuals in Patient Transport and
> Recreation Therapy to aid our veteran patients.
>
> **Donated goods and services --** We have received donations from
> numerous individuals and service organizations that have added to our
> veteran patients' comfort. The BVL fund continues to donate generously
> to our medical center affording us the opportunity to providing much
> needed clothing and personal care items for our veteran patients. The
> Leo F. Flanigan estate has continued to provide monetary donations
> through its trust in over \$3,000.00 this fiscal year. The Liverpool
> Elks Club donated a computer for use in the Community Living Center.
>
> **Monetary donations (purchases from GPF) -** We have made some
> significant purchases for the Community Living Center to aid in making
> the area comfortable living area for our veteran patients. We have
> purchased a player piano for the community room, furniture for the
> Hospice Room and have taken over the purchasing and provision of
> coffee for the patients residing in the Community Living Center. These
> changes have made a positive change in the atmosphere and living
> experiences of the residents in this area.

b)  **Corporate/Private Sector Involvement**

> We continue to recruit corporate sponsorship of volunteers. We have
> attended Volunteer Fairs at Syracuse University, AAA, and Blue
> Cross/Blue Shield in the past two months and have been assured of an
> invitation back for next year's volunteer drive. We have had several
> volunteer employees from FedEx recently. They have worked in our
> volunteer office and patient transport.

c)  **Volunteer Demographics**

> Due to our various partnerships within the community, our demographic
> footprint is quite even without an over reliance on any one age group.
> Although we have a larger number of volunteers in the 21 to 30 year
> age group, the increase is not so significant as to indicate a trend
> in this group. We are also cognizant of race, gender, and other
> demographic profiles. VAVS Volunteer recruitment and placement, like
> paid staff, needs to recognize and provide equal opportunity for
> volunteer employment. **Please see graph on pages 6 and 9.**

d)  **Program Support -** (some of the areas supported and what kind of
    support)

> **MOVE Program -** volunteers, buttons, food, and facility
>
> **Recreation -** activity funds, volunteers, food, programming support
>
> **Nursing -** volunteer support, supplies for chemo patient, escorts
> for patients
>
> **ER -** escort volunteer for patients and lab runs, food and clothing
> for patients
>
> **Fiscal and Payroll -** clerical support volunteers
>
> **Prosthetics -** clerical support volunteers
>
> **FMS -** grounds keeper support
>
> **VCS -** food service volunteers, greeter and retail store volunteers

3\. **[Assessment of VAVS Committee]{.underline}**:

a)  Our **VAVS Executive Committee** has had several changes due to
    member deaths and leaving due to illness or moving out of the area.
    Current members continue to prod the larger committee to new
    directions in programming.

b)  The **VAVS Committee** seems content to help with recreation needs,
    but has difficulties in communicating facility needs/initiatives
    back to their respective organizations. Our Network Newsletter
    continues obviate this concern to some extent.

c)  **Volunteer Recognition -** Our main event was moved to late fall
    two years ago. We also moved the event to our facility's auditorium.
    This continues to be beneficial with increased attendance turn out
    by both paid staff and volunteers and allows for a more timely
    recognition of hours served in the previous fiscal year. We held two
    recognition events this year. Our annual recognition event was held
    in October and attended well by staff and volunteers and our annual
    Volunteer of the Year event was held during April.

**B. Program Management:**

a)  ***Leadership.*** The Program Manager and Program Assistant continue
    to seek training and other opportunities to enhance skills in **VAVS
    management**. We have attended corporate and college recruitment
    events and engaged in public speaking events to further the VAVS
    message and opportunities. With the addition of the OEF/OIF
    Voluntary Service Specialist we will have the opportunity to
    increase our involvement in these events in the future.

b)  ***Customer Service Initiative***. We are a **Planetree** affiliated
    facility and the VAVS Manager co-chairs our Patient Centered Care
    Committee. These associations allow for a quicker adoption to
    possible synergies with VAVS. Examples include information desk
    volunteers, FLOW involvement, and cultural transformation
    expenditures.

SUBMITTED BY:

SHERI VALLE ROBERT HAWES

Program Assistant Voluntary Service Manager

JAMES CODY STEPHEN L. LEMONS, Ed.D.

Medical Center Director Network Director

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**[Syracuse VAMC Volunteers by Age]{.underline}**

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**[Presented at FY08 VAVS Recognition Event]{.underline}**

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**Facsimile Check**

**(Impact in dollar value that VAVS has had on the Syracuse VAMC)**

***donated FY GPF \$ + value of donated items and activities + (value of
donated volunteer hour multiplied by \# of volunteer hours)***