NorthShore Health Centers is a mission-driven organization committed to providing comprehensive and quality healthcare to everyone without exclusion. It is a mission that draws in a staff of compassionate, charitable people who search for every opportunity to make a difference in their community.
To celebrate that passion and create even more opportunities for their staff, NorthShore established a program that gives all of its full-time employees eight hours of paid time to volunteer at any organization or event of their choosing. It started in early 2024, and around 30% of NorthShore employees used their hours in that first year. Overall, NorthShore sponsored over 571 total volunteer hours and is looking to exceed that number in 2025.
“We want to make sure our employees have every chance to get out into the communities that we serve,” said Lauren Marciniak, senior director of business operations at NorthShore. “It’s their chance to give back in a different capacity than our healthcare services.”
Marciniak oversees NorthShore’s human resources department and is deeply involved with the volunteering program. She is also counted among its earliest participants. Last year, she spent time helping VNA Hospice NWI’s Meals on Wheels, which delivers hot meals to homebound, elderly, and individuals with disabilities in Porter County.
“In many cases, people want to get out and make these kinds of contributions, but they just don’t have the time,” Marciniak said. “When we give them that time, it’s awesome to hear about the connections they're making and the difference they’re making out in the community.”
Some team members have volunteered at their children’s schools, while others might help out at a food bank or women’s shelter. It is also common for employees to use their hours to spread the word about NorthShore, visiting health fairs or parades to get the word out about their clinic’s services such as insurance navigation and enrollment.
“We’re here for the overall social drivers of health, so we want to help with anything that might be a barrier to patients,” Marciniak said. “We want to meet the community where they’re at, and help point them to resources that they need. We want to help them beyond their healthcare needs because we’re here for the whole entire patient.”
Dawn Gale, credentialing manager at NorthShore, used her hours to help combat food insecurity around the Region. Each fall, she works with 500 Turkeys, a nonprofit and Christian mission that provides Thanksgiving meals to families across Northwest Indiana. In 2024, it fed over 1,500 families thanks to the work of volunteers such as Gale who helped pack and deliver the meals.
“500 Turkeys provides the entire meal, from the turkeys, stuffing, and vegetables to brownies and jelly – including the roasting pan,” Gale said. “I always take part in the packing day, putting all the food in boxes and making sure they’re ready. They have it nailed down to a science. I also did Distribution Day for the first time this year, I was one of the photographers and got to go around and meet everyone. It was just awesome.”
Gale comes from a family that deeply values finding ways to give back, and was thrilled to learn about NorthShore kicking off its volunteer program last year.
“My dad was a huge inspiration. He instilled volunteering in us and used to join us at the 500 Turkeys Packing Day,” she said. “This program is like NorthShore taking its vision for healthcare one step further. We always give back to our patients when we’re at work, but now they’re giving us the opportunity to take that mission outside of the clinics and work with causes that are close to our hearts.”
Learning just how many of her co-workers took part in the program last year excited Gale, but did not surprise her.
“To me, it shows the heart and soul of NorthShore,” she said. “It’s a job, but those of us who have been here for a while know that the mission is truly at the heart of the organization. This program is just so heartwarming. We know that our employer truly cares about our passions.”To learn more about NorthShore Health Centers and all of its services, visit northshorehealth.org.
