April is National Volunteer Month! As we celebrate our amazing ACHA volunteers, we are excited to announce that we are opening applications for two of our signature volunteer programs – the Heart to Heart Peer Support Program and our Patient & Family Advisory Board.
Applications are open now through May 8. Volunteer roles are available to adults with CHD and to immediate family caregivers. Learn more about each of these volunteer opportunities below to see whether one could be the right fit for you!
Heart to Heart Peer Support Program
ACHA’s Peer Mentors offer one-on-one peer emotional support to people seeking help or who just want to talk with someone who understands. With training from ACHA, our Peer Mentors help adults with CHD and caregivers work toward their goals, access information and resources, and feel more connected. This is a unique opportunity to give back to the CHD community and entails providing one-on-one peer support to members by phone, email, or video call.
While we encourage everyone interested in becoming a Peer Mentor to apply, our current program gaps are adults with HLHS, DORV, and PAPVR; adults living with a Fontan; adults with CHD who can speak to the transplant process; and adults with CHD who can speak to different family planning options (such as adoption and surrogacy).
Click here to access the application and learn more about the requirements, commitment, and role of Peer Mentors.
Patient & Family Advisory Board (PFAB)
With support from ACHA, PFAB members carry out activities in their local communities focused on three areas: community outreach and education, legislative advocacy, and fundraising. They advise ACHA on the lived experiences of adults and families living with CHD. The PFAB functions as a standing advisory body to the ACHA Board of Directors.
While we welcome applications from all parts of the country, our priority regions this year are: DC Metro; Columbus, OH; Cincinnati, OH; Kansas City Metro; Milwaukee, WI; Dallas, TX; Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; and San Francisco, CA.
Click here to access the application and learn more about the requirements, commitment, and role of the ACHA PFAB.