Annville, PA – During National Volunteer Month, and all year long, the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) is thanking the hundreds of volunteers who selflessly donate their time and talents to the staff and residents in its six veterans homes.
“Our volunteers are essential in day-to-day operations of our veterans homes, providing much-needed assistance, always with a warming smile, to our veterans,” said Maj. Gen. John Pippy, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “Our homes’ operations have a far greater impact thanks to each of these individuals volunteering their time. We thank them for their commitment to our veterans.”
Volunteers provide crucial assistance to the homes’ staff, including the transportation of residents to events, helping during mealtimes, participating in fun activities, staffing the snack stand and accompanying them on field trips.
Throughout the month, each home will recognize volunteers with special events, including dinners, luncheons and ceremonies. Senior leaders from the agency will visit each home to personally thank the volunteers.
The breakdown of recognition events, number of volunteers and the hours served at each home is as follows (media members are permitted to attend):
- Delaware Valley Veterans’ Home (DVVH), Philadelphia (Philadelphia County): DVVH will hold a volunteer recognition luncheon at the home April 30 at Noon. At that time, 50 volunteers will be recognized for their collective 4,943 volunteer hours in 2025. Additionally, 17 service organizations contributed 2,280 volunteer hours to that total in 2025.
- Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center (GMVC), Scranton (Lackawanna County): GMVC will give a service pin to every volunteer, following the ceremony with a recognition picnic at 2 p.m. June 17 during State Veterans Homes Week. At that time, 24 volunteers will be recognized for their collective 2,125 volunteer hours in 2025.
- Hollidaysburg Veterans’ Home (HVH), Hollidaysburg (Blair County): HVH will hold a volunteer recognition reception at the home April 8 at 1 p.m. During this event, individual volunteers and service organizations that sponsor events for their residents will be recognized. In 2025, a total of 50 volunteers contributed a collective 4,221 volunteer hours to HVH. In addition, 40 service organizations contributed 1,700 volunteer hours at on-and-off-campus events and activities for HVH residents.
- Pennsylvania Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Home (PSSH), Erie (Erie County): PSSH will host a volunteer recognition reception at the home June 18 at 6 p.m. at Calamari’s Squid Row, 1317 State St., Erie. During this event, 117 volunteers will be recognized for their collective 5,200 volunteer hours in 2025.
- Southeastern Veterans’ Center (SEVC), Spring City (Chester County): There will be a luncheon for all volunteers and sponsors held at the home June 25 from noon to 2 p.m. In 2025, a total of 110 active volunteers including three high school students contributed a collective 5,001 volunteer hours to SEVC
- Southwestern Veterans’ Center (SWVC), Pittsburgh (Allegheny County): SWVC will host the annual volunteer social and open house April 23 from 4 to 6 p.m. to celebrate their 776 volunteers for their collective 6,010 volunteer hours in 2025.
In addition to individual volunteers, hundreds of community and veteran organizations also give their efforts and support to assist with activities at the homes throughout the year.
For more information about admission, employment or volunteer opportunities at one of Pennsylvania’s six veterans homes, visit Veterans Homes. You can also learn more about the homes by following DMVA at www.facebook.com/padmva, https://www.instagram.com/pa.dmva, https://www.linkedin.com/company/padmva/ or https://x.com/padmva.