be a volunteer
play a role
be part of our work
The passion and dedication of our volunteers is at the center of all our efforts. Whether you're helping staff an event, participating in advocacy activities, or assisting participants at a KidneyMobile screening, at the end of the day you're making an impact in the lives of patients and families touched by kidney disease.
To become a volunteer, please review the below information and fill out the following form.
how you can help
there are several ways you can volunteer
At an Event: Volunteer needs vary from event to event, but generally speaking, the annual Walk for Kidneys is usually an excellent opportunity to pitch in and support the NKFI. Volunteers duties for events may include: registration, guest assistance, managing a booth/station (e.g. handing out water, food, supplies, etc), helping with fundraising activities, selling raffle tickets, etc.
KidneyMobile Screenings: Our free KidneyMobile health screenings are entirely volunteer-run. Screenings need both medically-trained and non-medically trained volunteers to help with a variety of duties. These include: registration, body mass index, blood glucose, hemoglobin A1C and urine testing, and patient consultations. Bilingual volunteers are encouraged to sign up. To learn more about volunteering at a KidneyMobile screening, please click here.
Patient Advocate: Many of our volunteers are kidney disease patients themselves. We are looking for people who are currently living with kidney disease to serve as patient advocates for the NKFI. A Dialysis Patient Advocate would help raise awareness in their communities and in their dialysis centers about upcoming NKFI events. To learn more about our community awareness, please click here. If you are a patient living with a kidney transplant, we invite you to be a Transplant Patient Advocate. In this role, you would be a member of a committee of other recipients and work together to help others on their journey to transplant.
In-Office Assistance: Throughout the year, the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois staff may need some help in our downtown Chicago office, especially in the lead-up to events. Office volunteer responsibilities vary depending on the time of year, but typically, they assist with day-to-day tasks and event prep. If you are a student interested in helping out at the NKFI office, consider exploring our internship program.
Educational Events & Health Fairs: The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois staff may need volunteer assistance at health fairs, Living With Kidney Disease and Transplantation events, or at World Kidney Day. Volunteers at educational and/or health fair events are asked to assist with registration, handing out educational materials, and guest services.
Advocacy Partner: Legislation regarding kidney disease management and transplantation can have a profound impact on the lives of patients. Bringing the interests of kidney disease patients and organ donors before elected representatives can make a huge impact in passing policies that support patients. Learn more about our advocacy efforts here.
