Our Mission
Friends of Strong is an organization of dedicated volunteers and staff who advance the mission of UR Medicine’s Strong Memorial Hospital through volunteerism and fundraising to provide support and services to patients, families, and visitors.
Volunteers have a long history as part of Strong Memorial Hospital:
- 1926: volunteers lent their services in the Patient Library and Surgical Dressing Program.
- 1946: the Department of Volunteer Services was established.
- 1975 was a benchmark year, when a small group of fundraising volunteers formed Friends of Strong at Strong Memorial Hospital, which merged with the Department of Volunteer Services. The resulting organization became a single hospital department, managed by paid staff and a volunteer council. The organization is guided by a Council made up of volunteers and staff. This body sets policy, goals, and objectives and supports all aspects of Friends' work.
Who Are Our Volunteers?
All volunteers come from the community at large. They are male and female, high school and college students, employed, unemployed, early retirees, and senior citizens.
What Do We Offer?
Friends of Strong provides opportunities for volunteers to gain experience, a chance to build skills, and to get the "high" that comes from the personal satisfaction of helping others.
Volunteers donate nearly 125,000 hours annually. Volunteers also raised money for capital improvements through:
- Fundraisers
- Sales from the Gift Shop
- Commissions from three Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters Roasters bars
We are extremely grateful for all of our volunteers!