Volunteer Recognition

Celebrating Our Volunteers 2026

April Appreciation Month Recap

April was a month full of gratitude as we celebrated the heart of our organization—our incredible volunteers. From the very first day of Volunteer Appreciation Month, we made it a priority to recognize the time, energy and dedication volunteers bring to St. Jude each day. Celebrations included social media features, heartfelt messages shared by staff and visible reminders of appreciation across campus.

On April 23, volunteers and staff gathered at Avon Acres for the annual Volunteer Appreciation Event, a joyful evening celebrating the impact volunteers have across St. Jude. Guided by the theme, “St. Jude loves our volunteers more than Memphis loves BBQ,” the event was filled with gratitude, connection and recognition. Dr. James Downing, president and CEO of St. Jude, was honored for his longstanding support of volunteers and patient- and family-centered care and was presented with an honorary volunteer pin during his final year as hospital CEO.

Appreciation extended beyond the event, with an informational table outside Kay Kafe, campus banners and purple umbrellas distributed as a small token of thanks.

These moments reflect a year-round truth: St. Jude volunteers bring hope, comfort and connection to patients, families and staff, and that impact is felt every day.

Stories of hospital volunteers were recently featured on official St. Jude social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram. Dr. James Downing also shared a post on LinkedIn. Readers who are not already following St. Jude on social media are encouraged to do so.

We’re excited to share photos from throughout the month that capture the spirit of appreciation and celebration. Whether you attended the event or were recognized in other ways, we hope you feel seen, valued and appreciated. Thank you for everything you do.

St. Jude Loves Volunteers More than Memphis Loves BBQ

We brought the Memphis spirit to life on April 23 with a special evening celebration at Avon Acres to honor our incredible volunteers. From start to finish, the night was all about showing just how much St. Jude loves its volunteers—maybe even more than Memphis loves BBQ!

You can view photos from the event below—and if you captured any special moments, we’d love for you to upload them to the Shutterfly album. If you share your photos on social media, don’t forget to use the hashtag #StJudeVolunteer.