UCLA Health Auxiliary volunteers donated more than half-a-million hours of service over the past year.
These hours were spent providing coffee and snacks for medical staff and families throughout the health system’s three hospitals, bringing creative projects to patients’ bedsides, cuddling and consoling medically fragile newborns, staffing hospital gift shops and lifting spirits through the UCLA People-Animal Connection.
UCLA Health Auxiliary is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2025, which it recognized with a Nov. 7 luncheon at the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center on campus.
“At UCLA Health, our volunteers bring comfort, kindness and hope to every patient and family they touch, and they support our staff in many ways,” said Johnese Spisso, MPA, president of UCLA Health and CEO of the UCLA Hospital System. “We so appreciate all that they do!”
The luncheon brought together volunteers from throughout UCLA Health, recognizing those who’ve given more than 100 hours of service in the past year.
The UCLA Health Auxiliary and Volunteer Services program began in 1955 with a small group of philanthropists and volunteers, eventually growing into a formal program with more than 3,000 volunteers filling hundreds of roles, said Volunteer Services Director Carey McCarthy, MPH.
“I’m grateful to come to work each day surrounded by people who just want to spread goodwill and bring joy and comfort to others,” she said. “The volunteer office is commonly known as ‘the happy office’ throughout the hospital, and a number of people have actually suggested that we change our name.”
That happiness was evident at the luncheon, which featured a fashion show of volunteers wearing outfits from the UCLA Thrift Shop, which the Auxiliary opened in 1955.
There were brand-name wares – including a Valentino jacket and a Calvin Klein shirt – along with eye-catching accessories (a snake-print handbag), unusual finds (a flight suit and helmet), and glamorous gowns.
But the show’s most endearing look was worn by two standard poodles who serve as therapy dogs with People-Animal Connection, who were dressed as a bride and groom.
