Since 2001, our agency has provided 24/7/365 response to hospital emergency rooms throughout the 13 counties we serve. Each time a victim-survivor of partner violence, rape, or sexual assault goes to an emergency room for care, the Ion Center sends a trained advocate to join and support them.

During regular business hours, Ion Center staff members are on-call and ready to meet victim-survivors at local hospital emergency departments. Evenings and weekends, however, are when the skills and dedication of our volunteer hospital advocates are truly illuminated.

Without our dedicated hospital advocates who give of their own time – both throughout an extensive training process and during their monthly on-call shifts – such responsiveness would be impossible.  

The Ion Center volunteer hospital advocates come from all walks of life and all experiences. They are friends, parents, siblings, professionals, social workers, retirees, students, activists, artists, and educators.  

Our hospital advocates are unified in their belief that every victim-survivor deserves one-on-one support and attention while navigating the immediate aftermath of partner violence, rape, or sexual assault.  

Program Requirements

• Must be at least 20 years of age
• Submission of a volunteer application
• In-person interview
• Reference check
• Criminal background check
• Successful completion of our extensive, self-guided, online hospital advocacy training series 
• One-year minimum commitment to serving the agency as a hospital advocate
• Availability for at least two on-call shifts per month
• Reliable transportation (via personal vehicle) to St. Elizabeth Hospital emergency departments within the agency’s service-area. These sites include:
  • St. Elizabeth Covington
  • St. Elizabeth Edgewood
  • St. Elizabeth Florence
  • St. Elizabeth Fort Thomas
  • St. Elizabeth Grant County

The Ion Center regularly attends a host of community events including health and resource fairs, awareness events, community socials, and other gatherings. When you join us as a community outreach volunteer, you’ll bring knowledge of the Ion Center’s programs and services to individuals and organizations at events throughout the community.

Program Requirements

• Submission of volunteer application
• In-person interview
• Reference check
• Criminal background check

These volunteers might sign up to help the Ion Center in a variety of ways. Some of these options might include, but are not limited to:

• Administrative support
• Making buttons with our button maker
• Organization
• Donation sorting

Requirements for in-house volunteering

• Submission of volunteer application
• In-person interview
• Reference check
• Criminal background check

The Pet Protection Program (PPP) was developed to remove a barrier for victim-survivors of partner violence entering the Ion Center’s shelter. This program provides immediate safety for the often overlooked member of a family fleeing abuse. PPP volunteers can help in several capacities, including fostering pets, working shifts in our kennel (located in Maysville), and making pet toys or enrichment activities. 

Requirements for PPP Volunteering

• Submission of volunteer application
• In-person interview
• Reference check
• Criminal background check
• Home visits (when fostering)

The Ion Center loves working with college students who are looking to earn college credits or fulfill internship requirements. The opportunities vary, and depend heavily on the needs of the agency as well as the talents or area of study of the individual students. To explore options or learn about opportunities, please email interns@ioncenter.org.

From landscaping efforts to donation drives, from sewing hospital departure totes for victim-survivors of sexual assault to holiday toy shopping for child victim-survivors of partner violence, we’d love to partner with your group, workplace, or organization for the benefit of those we serve!

There are countless ways your group can make a life-altering difference in the lives of victim-survivors!  To discuss options, please email our volunteer coordinator, at volunteer@ioncenter.org.