Frequently Asked Questions - Volunteer

There are NO costs of any kind for a HGA mission – neither to the patient nor the patient’s family. Your volunteering as a Ground Angel is a donation: a gift: driving your own automobile, paying for fuel and all other related expenses.

There is NO cost to become a volunteer with HGA. We do need active volunteers who are prepared to gift their time and expenses to help the patients and their families. If for any reason you cannot be an active volunteer, please let us know so we can remove you from our active list.

 

Across the city we have experienced volunteers who have served the Patients for many years who will “buddy” with new volunteers to advise and show you their best practices. When contacted as part of the enrollment process, if needed please speak up so we can assign you a buddy to assist you getting active in our group.

Houston Ground Angels has been granted 501(c)(3) status by the Internal Revenue Service, which means that all contributions are tax-deductible. As a charitable, nonprofit organization, we depend on the generosity of individuals, corporate sponsors and foundation partners. Please tell us if you have an idea for either funding/sponsorship or promoting HGA in the community. We NEED more driver volunteers !

Click on the Angel Application link under VOLUNTEER. Follow the instructions given or use the

Contact Us form to send an email to one of our administrators.

We try to get back to you within 48 hours, but usually the same day or the following day. We will ask you for your Address and Texas driving license details when we contact you – normally by phone. Our network administrator will send you your Ground Angel log in ID and password.

On the web site click on VOLUNTEER menu at the top. Next, click PICK A MISSION. You must be an authorized Volunteer and logged in to see the Mission details.

Once you have viewed the available Missions, choose the Mission(s) that best fit your schedule, click on edit,  change Open to Taken. At the bottom click on UPDATE. The system automatically sends you an email – “You have Taken this Mission” The mission record and the email you get – tells you the patient contact information. You must contact the patient directly.

Please do NOT go back and try edit to Cancelled or Complete – this is handled by the system or Administrator.  The Patient also gets a message “Your mission is Taken” but no volunteer info.

Note: You must be logged in to view the mission information and accept missions.

Patients do not get your information – you must contact them. When you accept a Mission, please contact the patient directly to let them know you have taken their Mission. This will keep them from wondering if they are going to be helped – and that their Mission has been accepted. If you accepted the mission some days/weeks before the ride date, then consider contacting the patient 24/36 hours in advance to remind of the pick up arrangements for that Mission. Give the patient your cell phone so that each can contact the other, in case of any change of plans.

Actual Mission times may vary depending on your personal location, the location you are picking the patient up from, the location you are dropping the patient off and traffic and weather. However, most Missions average around one and a half hours (1.5) to two (2) hours from beginning to end. 

Something to consider:  If you are dropping off a patient at one of the big airports, you might consider checking in case another patient is arriving about the same time. Maybe you could pick up and provide transportation to their destination too. That would be two families helped the same day.

The patient will let you know how they can be recognized, and you can tell them your car type and color. Consider a colorful hat or jacket. Houston Ground Angels has flags that clip onto the car window, with our logo on it, making it easier for patients to notice your car. We have hats and shirts to wear with the volunteer’s name on it, which not only provides security for the patient, in knowing you are a Houston Ground Angel, but can be used to make it easier for you to be recognized when you pick up patients.

All Patients when requesting a mission On-Line are asked to read and acknowledge the liability form. This protects the volunteer and the Houston Ground Angels group from liability in the event of an accident, and any incident such as cancellation or delay in connection with your volunteer activity. Please note, in the 22 years Houston Ground Angels have been in operation, we have never had a problem.

It can be daunting even for our volunteers to navigate around the Medical Center. There are many different hospitals/clinics, patient entrance doors and vehicle gates – so take care and proceed safely. Here is a MAP OF the TMC Hospital area.

Please do not edit the Mission record. Mission Admin updates all the completed mission records at the end of each day. Once the mission is safely completed you are free to return to your day knowing you have greatly aided a family on their treatment journey. It is recommended you keep the Mission print out for your (charitable mileage) taxes if you itemize. Sometimes the mission will be cancelled by the patient, if so please email admin@groundangels.org so the website can be updated. For those with itemize their taxes, your mileage as a volunteer may be deductible, so it might be good to keep these forms and to mark your mileage on each.

If time permits, it may be possible another Ground Angel can pick up your mission, so PLEASE call or email Mission Coordinator on 832-301-2816 ( hga2@groundangels.org ) as soon as possible. If the patient is waiting for pickup and an emergency occurs on your end, please call the patient as soon as possible and suggest alternative transportation. If time permits contact Mission Coordinator so they can update the records and possibly locate another volunteer, who might be able to assist the patient, even though this may be difficult. Patients are always recommended to have a backup plan for their transportation needs.

Yes; please update your Driver Information after logging in. Take a look at each of the four tabs and update your information.

On the Fave Airports tab – you can mark those airports and get a system email when new Missions are listed for those airport(s).

Your email is the primary system credential, plus your PassWord.  Also mission admin and patient contact is via your mobile phone number.