Volunteer FAQs

Photo courtesy of Nazareth Bonifacino Law's Crafting & Networking Event for Kits to Heart.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering for Kits to Heart. Your support will help to bring smiles and solidarity to those affected by cancer. Items contributed are included in our cancer care kits distributed to patients nationwide and are eligible for community service hours.

PLEASE NOTE: We do NOT accept pre-packed kits or bags. If you wish to assemble kits on your own, please donate them directly to your local hospitals or other designated organizations. We only accept collection drive items and handmade items, which we will then pack into our own care kits.

Here are some of the frequently asked questions about our service projects:

What is the volunteer process?

We make it as easy and accessible as possible for anyone of any age to volunteer for us through this step-by-step volunteer process. In sum:

1. Please review and adhere to our project guidelines before starting any project.
2. Select one or more remote volunteer projects to work on.
3. Start working any time at your convenience from anywhere!
4. Once completed, please fill out your contact information so we can reach you.
5. Please package your items to mail in OR drop them off directly at the address specified.
6. Please wait at least 2 weeks for us to receive, process, and email you to confirm receipt.
   • Requesting service verification? Please review our service verification policy. We will include the verification in this email (signed form, letter, etc.), as long as you meet the requirements and submit enough items to earn at least 1 hour. Please note our 2-week turnaround time, especially if you have specific deadlines for school, work, etc. Service hours are NOT guaranteed. If it has been more than two weeks since the items should have arrived, then please feel free to check in with us, as there is a chance that due to the volume of submissions, the package may have been missed!

Are materials provided?

While we are unable to provide materials, please refer to each project's page for suggested materials, or email us at volunteer@kitstoheart.org to check if your materials will work. We are a small, volunteer-run charity and appreciate your support!

Do I need to contact you to express interest in/register for any opportunities?

No, simply send your items in with our submission form filled out and included with your package when completed, and we will confirm via email within two (2) weeks of receiving them! Please check your spam folder.

Are there any age restrictions for the activities?

We welcome volunteers of all ages!

My group would like to organize a community day of service. How can we help?

Thanks so much! We encourage groups of any size to complete our service projects remotely from any location, such as an office space, office/school cafeteria, and/or community center. Please ensure volunteers follow these guidelines for all work being created, and refer to this Q&A for tips and advice on organizing your own event.

Certain projects may have a maximum number of items that can be submitted due to space limitations. For groups, we can generally accept 200-300 items total per project. We highly encourage larger groups to email us with an estimate of how many items are expected to ensure we have space to accept your items. Once items are completed, please follow these steps to submit your items.

If you'd like to request the organization founder Sonia to speak at your event in person or virtually, please submit the speaker request form.

At this time, the only in-person opportunities we have are our kit assembly sessions on specific weekend mornings in Clarksville, MD. These sessions have a maximum of 6 volunteers total.

How do I learn more about your organization?

Sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of our homepage to check out your impact! You can also follow and tag us on social media @kitstoheart.

What if I have more questions or would like to share photos of the items before submitting them?

Please email us at volunteer@kitstoheart.org.

We look forward to receiving and sharing your work with our recipients! Check out our spotlights featuring our amazing volunteers!