Volunteer Service Verification & FAQs

To help our small nonprofit sustainably manage a growing volume of volunteer participation and administrative requests, we will be updating our service verification policy, effective February 2027.

Over the past several years, we have been grateful to support volunteers who require service documentation for schools, organizations, and other programs. At the same time, providing service verification is an additional administrative courtesy that nonprofits like ours offer when capacity allows, and it may not always be available.

Kits to Heart will continue accepting volunteer-made items and donations year-round, and we remain deeply thankful for everyone who supports our mission in any capacity. However, due to limited administrative capacity, service hour verification will only be available for volunteer activities submitted between June 1 and January 31. This includes signed forms, confirmation letters, court-ordered service verification, NHS/SSL documentation, and other required paperwork.

We will not be able to provide service verification during the spring months (February through May).

This change allows our team to more sustainably balance volunteer coordination alongside care package distribution, patient support efforts, and other mission-focused work. We kindly encourage students and volunteers who require documented service hours to plan accordingly.

At Kits to Heart, we deeply value the spirit of service and community care. While we understand that many volunteers participate to fulfill school or organizational requirements, we also hope the experience serves as a reminder that acts of kindness can have meaningful impact far beyond documented hours or signed forms. Our mission is rooted in compassion, generosity, and supporting others in ways both seen and unseen.

Thank you so much for your understanding, support, and continued kindness toward the cancer community.

FAQs for New Guidelines

Why is Kits to Heart limiting service verification to June–January?

As a small nonprofit run with limited administrative capacity, we receive a very high volume of service verification requests during the spring months. This seasonal pause helps us sustainably manage volunteer coordination while prioritizing our core mission of supporting individuals affected by cancer.

Are you still accepting volunteer-made items during February–May?

Yes! We gratefully accept volunteer-made items and donations year-round. The only change is that we will not provide service verification/documentation during the spring months.

What types of verification are affected?

This policy applies to all forms of service verification, including:

Student service learning (SSL) forms
National Honor Society documentation
Court-ordered community service verification
Letters confirming volunteer hours
Other school or organization-required signatures/forms

I already completed volunteer work. Can you make an exception?

We kindly ask all volunteers to plan ahead according to the published policy. Due to limited capacity and fairness to all volunteers, we are generally unable to make exceptions for late or last-minute requests.

What if my deadline is approaching?

We strongly encourage volunteers who require documented service hours to complete their projects and submit any required materials during the June–January verification period. Unfortunately, we may not be able to accommodate urgent spring deadline requests.

Can parents, teachers, or counselors contact you directly for verification?

We respectfully ask that all volunteers carefully review our policy before participating. While we understand that deadlines can be stressful, our team may not be able to respond to repeated follow-ups or exception requests outside of the verification period.

Why continue accepting donations/items if verification is paused?

Many supporters contribute simply to help patients and families affected by cancer, and those contributions continue to make a meaningful impact year-round. The verification pause only helps reduce administrative workload during our busiest season.

Can I still volunteer if I do not need service hours?

Absolutely! We warmly welcome volunteers and donors who want to support our mission, regardless of whether they need formal documentation.

Why does Kits to Heart emphasize planning ahead and limited verification periods?

As a mission-driven nonprofit, our small team dedicates significant time to supporting cancer patients and families directly. Administrative tasks such as tracking, signing, and responding to verification requests require substantial additional capacity.

We absolutely understand that many students and volunteers have service requirements to fulfill, and we are happy to support those efforts within our stated verification period. At the same time, we hope volunteers also embrace the broader purpose of community service: contributing kindness and care to others simply because it matters.

Some of the most meaningful acts of service happen quietly, without recognition, rewards, or urgency tied to deadlines, and we are grateful to every person who contributes in that spirit.

Where can I find the current service verification policy?

Please review our volunteer guidelines on our website before beginning any volunteer project to ensure the opportunity aligns with your requirements. The period for verification is subject to change. Please email volunteer@kitstoheart.org with any further questions.

General FAQs for Volunteers Seeking Verification

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:

Please review and adhere to our project guidelines before starting any project.
Select one or more remote volunteer projects to work on.
Start working any time at your convenience from anywhere!
Once completed, please fill out your contact information so we can reach you.
Please package your items to mail in OR drop them off directly at the address specified.
Please wait at least 2 weeks for us to receive, process, and email you to confirm receipt. 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. We reserve the right to reward hours based on the quality of items made and submitted. Service hours are not guaranteed, and photo evidence may be requested. 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!

I'm volunteering as part of a group. Can you verify the hours for each volunteer in my group?

To ensure we can sustainably support all of our volunteers, we require a minimum of 1 hour of service per individual to verify and sign off on service hours. Processing and verifying hours for many individuals creates a significant administrative burden for our team, which is also volunteer-run. We deeply value every contribution and encourage volunteers and groups requesting hours to submit enough items to meet at least 1 service hour so that we can properly recognize and validate your time.

Do I need to send you a service form to receive service hours?

We have copies of student service forms for Montgomery County Public Schools, Howard County Public Schools, Frederick County Public Schools, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, and Bishop McNamara High School. If you attend those schools, please do not include your form—just our submission form, because we will email a signed copy for you to complete after receiving the items. Students from all other schools requesting hours—or volunteers requesting court-ordered service confirmation—should share the appropriate form or verification method using the submission form.

How do I submit the completed service form to my school?

After you receive an email acknowledgement from us, please follow the instructions from your school/county for submitting the service form. If you attend MCPS, you generally can email the completed form directly to your school’s SSL coordinator. Learn more about MCPS Student Service Learning (SSL).

Am I still able to submit items after an opportunity is closed?

Only if you started working on them before it closed. We recommend holding on to your items for a few more months and checking back here to see when the activity opens up again to submit. Unless otherwise noted, you are still welcome to submit them now, if needed. Opportunities will always open again and are only closed to give us some time to distribute them to patients before receiving more.

I submitted my items. Where is my service form?

Thank you! Please wait for at least two (2) weeks before asking us for your form. Check your spam folder and add volunteer@kitstoheart.org as a contact to ensure you receive our confirmation. Your patience is greatly appreciated!

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!

How do I start a Kits to Heart club at my school?

If you are interested in leading service projects to help the community while gaining résumé experience, please fill out this school interest form. For tips on how to run your club, please review this Kits to Heart club guide. Kits to Heart clubs have been established at the following schools (clubs may not all remain active for each school year):

MARYLAND

Covenant Life School
Hallie Wells Middle School
Parkland Middle School
Paint Branch High School
Poolesville High School
Wheaton High School
Montgomery Blair High School
Richard Montgomery High School
Walter Johnson High School
Seneca Valley High School
Archbishop Spalding High School
Bethesda Chevy Chase High School
Winston Churchill High School
Quince Orchard High School
Walt Whitman High School
Clarksburg High School
Northwest High School
Thomas S. Wootton High School
Albert Einstein High School
Col. Zadok Magruder High School
Damascus High School
Arundel High School
Crofton High School
Pikesville High School
Oakland Mills High School
Watkins Mill High School
Meade High School

DC: Maret School
MASSACHUSETTS: Marblehead High School, Belmont Public High School
NEW YORK: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
CONNECTICUT: The Hotchkiss School
MICHIGAN: Okemos High School
CALIFORNIA: Rancho Bernardo High School
CANADA: Lillian Osborne High School (Edmonton, AB)

I submitted the maximum number of items previously. May I make and submit more?

Yes, as long as at least one month has passed since your previous submission and if the opportunity remains open. The limits are in place to prevent huge submissions, as we work diligently to distribute the items we receive, given our limited storage space! If there are no limits stated for an activity, then there are no limits.

Are you a Certifying Organization for the President's Volunteer Service Award (PVSA)?

Yes, but PVSAs are on pause until further notice. Please see the full announcement.

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. Please consider signing 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.