Volunteer network
We invite you to join our network of volunteers who are raising awareness about pain, fighting for improvements in federal and state pain-related policy, and providing direct support to their peers!
Signing up as a volunteer means you will receive action alerts, be notified about special opportunities, and can earn unique recognitions. Sign up now!
You can make a difference
Ways to volunteer
Volunteer toolkit
Volunteer recognition
Ready to get started?
FAQs about volunteering
How much time do I need to volunteer?
That is totally up to you! We appreciate any help you can provide, even if it’s just five minutes a month. We understand that living with pain can make it hard to predict what you can do and make it difficult to find the energy for activities outside of your daily responsibilities.
How do I sign up?
Signing up is fast and easy. Just fill out this online application form.
I’ve signed up. Now what?
Now that you’ve signed up as an ambassador, you’ll receive special email notifications about opportunities to take action or get involved. That said, volunteering is entirely what you make of it! We encourage you to take initiative and find ways to contribute that are meaningful to you. For a list of suggestions, click here.
How do I help spread the word about U.S. Pain?
There are so many ways to do so! You can order and distribute materials, for starters. We also love when volunteers host information tables in their communities (at a local hospital, community center, senior center, etc.). An easy way to spread the word from home is by retweeting and sharing our social media messages. And you can always tell other pain warriors about us, whether in online support groups or an in-person one.
How can I get my health care provider involved?
There are a few ways to get your healthcare provider involved. 1) Offer to order materials to their office for distribution, and 2) Ask them if they’d be interested in writing a guest blog post or speaking at a webinar.
I’m concerned about a bill, law or policy in my state. What do I do?
To see what issues we’re most focused on, visit our advocacy page. If you’ve encountered a policy that you’d like us to be aware of, or you want to take action on a policy independently, email us at [email protected] to let us know and we’ll see if we can lend a hand.
What types of policies does U.S. Pain focus on?
To see what issues we’re most focused on, visit the advocacy page. Keep in mind that these issues may fluctuate as the legislative landscape changes.
I can’t leave my house because of my health/disabilities. Can I still volunteer?
Of course! In fact, the majority of our volunteer opportunities are structured so that they can be done from the comfort of your couch. For a list of ways to get involved, click here.
Can I start a support group on behalf of U.S. Pain?
We are always seeking to expand our network of support groups through our program, Pain Connection. In order to start an official U.S. Pain Foundation support group, you must attend a Pain Connection training. Keep an eye out for details about upcoming trainings here.
Can I speak on behalf of U.S. Pain at a public event, or in communications with media/policymakers?
If you would like to speak on behalf of U.S. Pain Foundation in a public forum (a hearing, an op-ed, a media interview), we ask that you get permission first from a staff member. For details, email [email protected].
Do policymakers pay attention when we send an email via an online action campaign?
We often rally pain warriors to take action via online email campaigns. Whether or not a policymaker truly reads the email depends on the issue and the policymaker’s interest level. That said, if enough people email them about the same issue, they start to take notice! If you’re still concerned that your voice isn’t being heard when you send an email, we invite you to follow up by calling your policymaker’s office directly or even asking to schedule a meeting to talk about the issue at hand.
Does volunteering really make a difference?
YES! If you start a support group, you have the potential to help hundreds of people. If you raise $5 in a Facebook fundraiser, that goes toward growing our programs. If you call a legislator, that gets us one step closer to passing a pain-patient-friendly bill. It all matters. To see more of what we are able to accomplish because of our volunteers, visit our annual reports or read some patient testimonials.